Hidden Secrets
by Valandra
Summary: This is technically the same mission I agreed to complete, and I refuse to be accused of lying on a technically.
1. Hidden Secrets 1

**Hidden Secrets   
Part One **

By Valandra 

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. I do own any original characters that manage to work their way into this though.   
Warnings: slightly AU, Endless Waltz doesn't happen, Yaoi, Angst, and anything else would ruin it….^_~ 

  
  
  
"I'm getting to old for this." Duo Maxwell moaned as he and his comrades dragged themselves into the safe house. They were just getting back from a barely successful mission. 

There had been far too many complications and wrong information, resulting in not only a failed mission, but also serious physical injury to the ex-pilots. The young men were all far too exhausted to want to even think about it. 

"You're hardly even eighteen baka." Wu Fei snapped at the braided male. 

Duo just smirked and continued walking upstairs to the bedrooms, planning on finding his bed and passing out. This was the groups' first time in this safe house, so no one has claimed their rooms yet. Duo planned on being first. 

Quatre just shook his head as Duo made his way upstairs, _probably wants to check everything out before we all go to bed_, and made his way to the kitchen. _Some tea and hot chocolate will help sooth everyone so we can sleep easier._ Trowa followed him into the kitchen, knowing what the blond was thinking, and he wanted to see if he could help. 

Wu Fei was there, sitting on one of the stools at the bar. There was already a kettle on the stove, heating the water. 

"Thank you Wu Fei." Quatre said softly, smiling slightly. Wu Fei nodded his acknowledgment. 

Quatre went to check the water while Trowa headed toward the barstools. As he sat two seats from Wu Fei, the perfect vantage point to watch his golden Koi, Heero entered the kitchen, his scowl deepening as he took in who all were present. Or rather, who wasn't. 

"Where's Duo?" he asked in monotone. The others frowned at not only Heero's question, but also the monotone voice he was using. Heero had been getting steadily better about putting more expression in his tone, and had given up the dead monotone, only using it when in the presence of an enemy, or on the occasional unexpected situation. 

"I saw him go upstairs. He probably wants a shower before bed." 

"Kuso!" 

Raising an eyebrow, Wu Fei asked, "What's wrong Heero?" 

"The baka's going to assume he and I are rooming together since there are only three bed rooms." 

"And neither of you have bothered to tell him you're both together." Quatre accused both Heero and Wu Fei. Wu Fei raised an eyebrow and Heero just "Hned." _Trowa and I haven't said anything. But then, we're not trying to hide it either._

"I don't hear any water running, so Duo has probably already gone to bed." Trowa said. _Not that I blame him. His part was solo, and not too clear to begin with. With all the mishaps the rest of us had, I can't really imagine how he got out of there in one piece. I wouldn't have blamed him if he'd passed out once we lost any tails. There was certainly enough room where he was sitting in the back…. Quatre fell asleep leaning against me in the middle seats, and Wu Fei played look out in the front while Heero drove. I'm not really sure what he was doing back there. He was quiet, and that's all I cared about at that point. I did see Wu Fei glance back at him a few times, maybe he knows._ "So you can either room with Duo like you used to, or the two of you can use the same bedroom like you've been doing." Trowa continued. 

"I don't see what the problem is. It's not like the two of you haven't shared the same bed before. Or are you afraid Duo may have a problem with your relationship?" 

Both gave a slight wince at that, but did not comment out loud. 

_At first, when we got together, we didn't really care if anybody knew, Duo included._ *chuckles* _He was even part of the mission when it happened, though he wasn't there. We didn't consciously try to keep it from him, but we didn't try to make it known either. Perhaps now we know why…. Duo was almost always a moron, and wouldn't behave as maturely or stably as one should during a war; I know he has to be capable of being serious or he'd wouldn't have been a pilot. But he was_ never _serious in front of us. His lunatic behavior was what caused most of the strife and distance between us. I couldn't stand being in the same room as him, and didn't pay attention to where he went after the war. _

Of course we're nervous about what he'll think. Until this Preventer's mission, we've not seen him for almost two years. The fact that we both have…feelings for him kept us up all night the night before we all meet up for this mission from hell. Huh, maybe that's why our resident Shin no Kami came out alive and whole…if silent. He didn't sleep in the car, but he was so still and silent. I couldn't see his eyes under his bangs, and if I didn't know better I'd think he was in a light meditative trance. He responded the few times he had to, but the rest of the trip was like he wasn't even there. 

Nothing was said, as Wu Fei had gone introspective, and Heero looked to be in deep thought too as he made his way towards the seat next to his boyfriend. _We've not seen him since the end of the war. Yet we did keep our relationship from him when we got together during the war. Duo just seemed to disappear shortly after the celebration at the end, though it turns out that none of the four of us really tried to find him until a few months ago. Dorothy had mentioned him in passing to Wu Fei, which some how led us into a conversation about him that same night. We discovered that we both have mixed feelings about him. He seemed at times to be two different people, excluding Shin no Kami. I truly don't believe any of us ever saw_ his _"face." He was normally an annoying, cheerful baka who would be serious only when he deemed necessary. But there were times when he…seemed different, felt different. I could only catch a few glimpses of him like that. Usually when he didn't know anyone was around. His eyes…_his _eyes looked…older, more melancholy than those of the others combined. Wu Fei confessed to having seen similar glimpses as well. This mysterious, withdrawn Duo is who snagged the both of us. We spoke to Trowa and Quatre later that week. They had not heard from Duo nor tried to get in touch with him. Neither could re-call ever seeing a withdrawn Duo, though Quatre did admit to feeling something unusual from Duo when he caught Duo by surprise once, but it was gone just as quickly. He acts like such a jester all the time that we paid no mind to those odd moments. But now that I have thought about it, I wonder if it was all just that, an act._

Nothing more was said as the kettle whistled, signaling that the water was ready. Quatre went to get the tea and hot chocolate mix while Trowa moved for the cups. As Wu Fei and Heero were pulled out of their musings, Heero got up and left, muttering something about getting Duo. 

Heero left the kitchen for the living room, which happened to be the next room from the kitchen. The house may be two stories, but it was still relatively small. It did not even have a den. Though the room sizes, the garage, and the soundproof basement did make up for that. _Though one more bedroom wouldn't hurt._ Heero growled in his mind. There was a hallway leading from the living room to the garage, with a bathroom and hall closet on the way. The entrance to the basement was actually a trap-door type in the floor of the hall closet. 

He grabbed his and Wu Fei's bags on his way to the stairs. Heero mentally sighed. _He's going to find out sooner or later. Might as well get it over with._ Unlike his usual controlled monotone voice, Heero had very little control over the emotion or tone of his mental voice. His emotions were very obvious in it. While he was working to use more emotion into his vocal voice, he was also learning how to control his emotions in his mental one. Heero thought he heard laughter in the back of his mind; he growled at the chuckling as he reached the top of the stairs. Four feet from the stairs and to the right was the first twin bedroom, and a bathroom across the hall from it. The second twin room was right next to the bathroom. At the end of the hall was the door to the master bedroom, which had it's own private bathroom that occupied the area across from the second twin room. 

Other than the hall light, none of the lights upstairs were on. Heero looked into the first room, found it empty and moved onto the next one. The bathroom was open and empty, as was the next room. Heero frowned, but decided to place his and Wu Fei's things in the second room before moving onto the master bedroom. The door is closed, so Heero knocked sharply twice, and waited for a response. After about two minutes he tried again, then listened for running water. When he heard none, he tried the door-knob. The odds of the enemy having found them were non-existent; the thought that Duo had indeed been seriously injured during the mission, and had been able to keep it hidden from him, _Wu Fei and I both checked_, though discreetly, was a _very_ disturbing thought. _He could also just be asleep_, the thought was whispered in the back of his mind, but he paid it little attention. So it was with great anxiety, and more than a little trepidation and worry, that he turned the door knob. 

  
To be continued…. 


	2. Hidden Secrets 2

Hidden Secrets   
Part Two 

  
By Valandra 

A/N: For those who are reading this and my Mystics of Espheria story, as both continue on you may notice this. They both share a similar AU factor. I apologize for any misunderstanding the first note may have given. ^_^;   
I would also like to thank everyone for the awesome reviews. I'm so happy that ya'll are enjoying this story. 

  
  
  
The knob turned less than a centimeter. _Locked! He locked the door?!_ Heero pounded on the door a few times before calling out. "Duo? Are you in there?" Heero's voice was again monotonous, altered slightly by worry. Still no answer. 

Heero went back to his room, to his bag where the master key was, then back to unlock the door. All the while he was thinking. _Why didn't he answer? He's a light sleeper. Even if my knocking didn't wake him up, calling out to him should have. _

You know exhaustion can force one's body unconscious and keep one there whether it's wanted or not. I have no doubt that he's just in a deep sleep as a result of everything. He wasn't sleeping much before now…. A calm, elegant and noble voice soothed him. 

_Wu Fei…. You're right, but I can't keep from worrying._ They could both hear his slight bewilderment at this fact. 

_Just don't touch him or get to close. You're bloodied and bruised enough as it is. _

Right. 

Heero kept as quiet as possible once he opened the door and walked in. He pulled the door to but didn't close it. The hall light peeped through the cracked door, lighting the middle of the bed. The door was about one-third off the middle of the wall, towards the left, and opened into the room. Heero noticed that the room was, like the other two, sparsely furnished. A large, double door closet was in the wall on Heero's left, a chest of drawers next to that. There was a big window on the next wall, taking up almost half of it; it started about two feet from the left corner and ended almost a foot from the king size bed located against the next wall. The window had thick, heavy curtains that effectively blocked out all light from outside; it was after four in the afternoon, yet the only illumination in the room came from the hallway. The bed was in the middle of the wall to Heero's right, with a small table and lamp in the corner of walls on the left and a nightstand to the right of the bed, near the bathroom door. Heero walked further into the room and noticed that the bathroom door, not five feet from the room's entrance, was opened. _Duo must have just flung his bag into the bathroom_, Heero thought, since Duo's bag was in the bathroom, resting right in front of the door. 

Heero went over to the bed, hoping to get a good look at Duo, to evaluate his condition of course. He kept his eye on the lump of blankets and quilts not quit in the middle of the bed, but still stopped a foot away. He remembered the first, and only, time that Trowa and Quatre had gotten too close to a sleeping Duo; Trowa had actually managed to touch his shoulder before Duo woke up; unfortunately Quatre was standing behind him, looking at the papers and things on the nightstand. _I'll never forget the disbelief and wonderment in Trowa's voice as he told us how he got a broken jaw, and Quatre bruised ribs, when they weren't even on a mission. Trowa made sure to let Wu Fei and me both know that it was a bad idea to wake Duo up, even if you're not within reach. Something about flying lamps…._

Heero looked at the bed, but could not see any trace of it's occupant. _He's buried himself_, Heero thought in amusement. _But his breathing is even, and he seems to be sleeping peacefully enough._ Heero moved to back away, when the sparse light landing on the bed lit the tail end of a chestnut colored braid. Heero chuckled lightly in his mind, careful to stay silent so as to risk waking the braided youth. When Heero reached the door, slight rustling caught his attention. Worried that he had been caught, Heero slowly turned around to face the bed again. Duo had only sifted in his sleep, and part of his arm was sticking out of the blankets, near the braid. Heero turned back to the door, which he had already opened enough to slip out through, when a glint of something drew his eyes back to the bed. It had looked like something on the bed was reflecting the light, but he could find nothing metallic or otherwise that could have done so. The light was resting on the mound of blankets, made of cloth, Duo's arm and braid. The rubber bands that Duo used didn't have any metal on them, and his arm was still clothed in his black garb. _He didn't even bother to get undressed_, Heero thought as he exited the room, chuckling in his mind. He dismissed the glint to a trick of his eye, caused by his exhaustion. 

Heero went back downstairs to the kitchen, knowing Wu Fei kept some of the water warm for him. He passed Trowa and Quatre in the living room, the both of them on their way to bed. Quatre paused a moment, "Heero, where's Duo?" 

"He's already asleep and seems to be in good condition, though I couldn't see his body. He is sleeping deeply, and had buried himself completely under the blankets. I did not wish to attempt to move them." Heero said, his relief clear, and a light trace of amusement present. He had stopped just outside of the kitchen when Quatre questioned him, and turned around to face him as he answered. 

"Aa. A good idea. Sleep well Heero." Quatre said before he and Trowa continued on their way. 

Heero nodded his acknowledgement, then turned to enter the kitchen. 

**** 

After finishing the tea, Heero and Wu Fei turned in as well. They decided not to bother with pushing the twin beds together, opting to just share the cramped space offered by the one farthest from the door; the other bed became storage space for bags and clothing. The cramped space was worth it for the comfort and safety offered by sleeping in each other's arms. Any injuries were wrapped, and those that needed it were cleaned before the two slept. 

**** 

Though everyone had gone to bed before what most considered evening, the house saw no activity come morning. Quatre awoke shortly after noon and decided to get up instead of laying in bed with his koibito like he wanted to. Instead he got up as silently as he could, grabbed his bag, and went to take a shower. 

None of the pilots had suffered any broken bones or anything truly major, an absolute miracle considering how the mission had gone. Quatre suffered from a sprained wrist on his left hand, and his left shoulder had been dislocated; nothing permanent, the bone had easily gone back into the shoulder socket, though it had been a bit unnerving to see his arm hanging half a foot from his shoulder. He had three bruised ribs, and cuts, scrapes, and bruises all over his body. He even had a small cut on his right ear where the first bullet had grazed him. That's when all the trouble had started. Quatre shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts, wanting to enjoy his shower, even if he had only one hand to wash with. The water was pleasantly warm, working magic on his sore back muscles. _I should leave some hot water for the others, though there is no telling when they will wake up._ Quatre decided to indulge himself for only a little while before finishing up and going downstairs. 

_Everybody's still asleep, but then it's been almost a full day's rest._ He headed to the kitchen, intent on seeing what there was to eat, if there was anything to cook with. Quatre's cooking skills had slowly started to develop after Trowa started teaching him. He has not learned many complicated meals, but Quatre did have most of the simple things, like bacon, eggs, toast, white rice, honey cakes…. Quatre looked around the living room and down the hallway. He was about to enter the kitchen when he heard rumbling of some kind, machine made. He followed the sound down the hall and into the garage. 

The garage was actually clean and organized, with a mini-van that Heero had purchased prior to the mission. A Preventer agent had been waiting at a rendezvous point a few miles from this house with the van, and was to take care of the car that the pilots had used to get away. There was also the water heater, a work bench and tool rack, crates of miscellaneous junk, and the source of the rumbling noise, the washer and dryer. The dryer was running, almost done too by the looks of the timer. _Why didn't I hear it sooner? And who started it? I thought everyone was asleep._ Quatre stared at the dryer for a few more minutes before shrugging and going back to the kitchen to see what they had in ways of food supplies. 

When Quatre entered the kitchen, he immediately smelt coffee. He went over to the pot and saw that whoever was up had started both pots, one with coffee, the other with plain water, presumably for the tea that Quatre and Wu Fei enjoyed, the others only drank tea occasionally. _Must be Wu Fei then. He does make a habit of getting up early._ Quatre went about making himself some orange spice tea, a new favorite. He also decided that cooking wasn't a good idea because one, he had no idea when everyone was going to wake up, and two, he only had one good hand. So he just made himself some toast and buttered it before taking it to the bar where his tea rest. Quatre finished his first slice of toast when he heard a door open in the hall, and the buzzer on the dryer go off. _The basement. That's why I didn't see him._ Quatre heard soft footsteps go from the hall to the garage and back, then through the living room to the stairs and to one of the bedrooms. Quatre gone back to eating after he heard the garage door open. He was half way done with his second piece when he heard the footsteps coming from the living room to the kitchen. 

Quatre looked up when the spring door that was the kitchen entrance opened, momentary surprise reflected in his eyes before he smiles and happiness replaces it. 

"Duo! How are you feeling?" 

Duo grins at Quatre as he makes his way to the coffee machine, cup already in hand. He had already had a cup earlier, while he was getting his wash started. "Great Q-man! Shin no Kami just needed some rest to recuperate, and is just fine. How 'bout you, how's the arm and hand doing?" 

"Better now that they're wrapped, though it was interesting showering with one hand." Quatre and Duo both chuckled at that. Quatre noticed that Duo was not wearing his usual priest's garb, but an ebony long-sleeved sweater, black jean pants, and pair of dark blue ankle socks. 

Duo pored himself a cup of coffee before leaning against the counter to sip at it. "The other's are still asleep, though they'll probably be waking up soon. Do we have any plans for today other than r and r?" 

"Other then sending in a report to headquarters, no. But by the looks of it we'll be lucky to have our reports written by evening." Quatre sighed, not really looking forward to writing this particular mission report. 

Duo chuckled and grinned even more before re-filling his cup and making to leave the kitchen. "Have fun with that Q, I'm sure Trowa'll help ya!" And he walked out the door to the backyard. "I'm going for a walk Q-man, I'll see ya later!" he hollered back before the door was completely closed. 

Quatre just shook his head and sighed, a small smile playing on his lips as he finished his toast. _He's going to put off writing his report until the minute. I suppose either Heero or Wu Fei will try and force him to do it sooner, if he doesn't stay out until then._ Quatre frowned. _Why is he going out for a walk? It could aggravate his…injuries…. He didn't look injured just now though, and I couldn't see anything last night. Heero and Wu Fei obviously didn't either, otherwise they would have done something about it._ Quatre just shrugged and started cleaning his plate and the knife he had used. _Why am I worrying? Duo wouldn't be up and around if his legs were injured badly. He'd be asking us for the things he would need, and would whine if he had to get up. And he certainly wouldn't have been climbing the stairs as well as the basement ladder. Come to think of it, he was holding his right arm close to him in the car last night…but he could have just been cold. It didn't look like he had wrapped it._ Quatre shakes his head to clear it. _Duo said he's fine, and he never lies. I'll just go start on the mission report. I hope Trowa wakes up soon._

  


To be continued…. 

For those who were wondering or thought I made a mistake, Heero and Wu Fei _are_ using telepathy; mind speaking. This will be explained later on, possibly chapter four. 


	3. Hidden Secrets 3

Hidden Secrets   
Part Three 

  
By Valandra 

A/N: Hello all! First let me apologize for the delay in posting. I was sick and then the computer when down for a week. *grrr* But I warned you before that chapters would be slow in the coming. *Mutters* It's also Zorra's fault for getting me started on the _Harry Potter_ books. 

[Zorra: HEY!! To be a good beta, you need to be well rounded.] 

Anyways, I'd like to thank Cass, Relwarc, Dreamweaver, Dyna, Phoenix of Blood Red Mars, Anna May, and everyone else that's read and reviewed! Also I'd like to commend you on your bravery for continuing ^_~. *chuckles* I'm honored by your interest and I hope to keep it. 

Just a reminder, I use telepathy in this story. Not everyone has it and only certain characters can communicate with each other thus far. You shouldn't have any problems understanding when it's being used now. I'm sorry for any past confusion this may have caused. Here's a guide to help you understand what's what:   
Thoughts are in (_Italics_)   
Telepathy talk is in (_~_)   
Normal talk is in ("")   
And the song lyrics are in (*****) 

Many thanks to Zorra and Cousin D for their help and encouragement throughout the writing of this chapter. Also, thanks to Zorra for getting me the lyrics for the song. And for the CD name, and for all the other things you've helped me with, big and small. ^_^ 

[Zorra: Aw I feel so special now *blush* thanks!] 

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own the song "The Dragon Lies Bleeding," by Hammerfall, or "Trolls in the Dark," by Rhapsody. However, I take credit for the band title and all that goes with it, as well as all OCs, unless otherwise stated. So please don't steal my idea without first letting me know, thanks. 

[Zorra: Finally she's done talking *Ducks* jk. Now on with the story!]   


* * *

  
Quatre had been sitting at his laptop working on the report for almost two hours, getting more frustrated with each passing quarter hour, before he snapped. _~Trowa! Will you please wake up?! I could use a hand down here, I only have one!~_

Upstairs, Trowa was jolted awake, and was on his knees beside the bed before his eyes had time to focus on the floor. His heart was beating twice as fast compared to a minute ago, and his senses where on high alert. A sense of growing impatience and frustration was growing in his mind and it took him a moment to calm down and realize they weren't coming from him. 

_~Quatre?~_ Trowa questioned, sounding confused and groggy, having let himself relax enough for the normal effects of just waking up to assail him. ~What's wrong?~ 

Quatre paused a moment before he responded, sounding a little calmer, though not much. _~Will you please come down here and help me type up our mission report? I've only got one hand to type with and it's tripling the amount of time I'm spending on it, which is more time re-living that mission than I planned to for the rest of my life.~_

Trowa could almost see Quatre's shudder. _~Of course. Why didn't you wake me up earlier Quatre? Just how long have you been up and working on that?~_ Trowa asked as he pulled on a pair of light gray sweat pants and a matching sweatshirt with hood. 

Down stairs Quatre rubbed tiredly at his eyes and took a hesitant sip of his cold tea. _~A few hours. Wu Fei came down an hour ago to get some food and drink for him and Heero; they're working on their report in their room.~_

Trowa entered the hallway and noticed the light coming from under Heero and Wu Fei's door. He glanced behind him at Duo's room as he walked towards the stairs, a confused look entering his eyes before he looked to the empty bathroom. He took one more glance at Duo's door before descending the stairs and joining Quatre at the laptop. "Is Duo up yet? His door was closed and light off, but I thought I saw a dim flickering light coming from under his door." 

"Hmm? Oh, he went out for a walk a couple hours ago. Actually, I believe he was the first one up. There was coffee and hot water ready when I got to the kitchen and a load of laundry in the dryer. Duo left the basement to go get it just before it went off and took it to his room. Actually, I had thought it was Wu Fei before Duo joined me in the kitchen. He said he was going for a walk after that." 

Trowa led Quatre to the kitchen in hopes of first calming the blond down and getting his mind off of the past mission, and second, to find something to eat. He _did_ just wake up, and nobody ate before bed the other day. 

"And he hasn't come back yet?" 

"No." 

"How was he?" Trowa asked, concern barely noticeable in his voice to all but those that knew him; he poured himself some coffee and made Quatre some more tea in a fresh cup while he waited for a response. He then pulled a loquot out of the refrigerator for his breakfast. 

"He seemed to be fine, and said he was too. He was in long pants and sleeves so I couldn't see any bandages or wrappings; his cloths didn't catch or bunch. I _had_ thought he was hugging his arm in the car last night, but I guess he was just cold. If he had hurt his arm enough to hug it close for protection, he wouldn't have been able to climb the basement ladder _or_ carrying laundry up to his room without showing signs of fatigue or stress." 

They were walking back to the laptop while Quatre spoke. They were both sitting on the couch in front of the stairs, the laptop on the coffee table in front of them, as Quatre finished. Quatre shrugged his shoulders, and winced at the movement of his left shoulder. 

"Quatre?" 

Quatre sighed, resisted the urge to rub his shoulder. "You wouldn't believe how many times I've jerked and jarred my shoulder, or tried to use it to type. At this rate it'll be swollen to twice this size by evening." Quatre saw the question in Trowa's eyes before he could voice it. "Yes, I have been using the heating pad, but though it's helping somewhat with the pain it doesn't help with the swelling. The ice helps with the swelling, but makes the muscles stiff. I can't seem to find a balance. 

_And considering how…irritated you were when you woke me up…. I wish you had just woken me when you got up; then you wouldn't have tried to use your arm so much. We're not at war anymore; we don't have to put up with every inconvience, minor or major, to complete our objective at all cost. I know you know that, but you also have a hard time with asking others to do things in your place._

"You know, I left that sling on the nightstand last night so you'd use it today. You should have stopped once it started hurting Koi. We don't have any pain meds. that would do you any good." 

"I know," Quatre sighed. "I just kept forgetting; I was so involved with typing the report, getting it over with, that I guess I was thinking Wu Fei could just heal it later. But I know he can't cast anything right now." 

Trowa nodded slightly before replying quietly, "Duo would notice, and we can't risk such a thing. Most humans forgot about our kind long ago, and we must keep it that way. It's for the best." 

"Right. If we knew how he'd take it we might have been able to tell him during the war, saving us all a lot of frustration. I wish I was wrong about him, but the feeling, the presence I get off him is human; you and Wu Fei both agreed." 

"Don't worry so much about it. Duo's human and better off not knowing that other races, those that aren't human, live in this realm. 

"Now scoot over and let me finish typing the report." _I do wonder though, if we don't know how Duo would react to the knowledge of our kinds' existence, then how well do we really know him?_

**** 

"Confirmation of report logged, received." 

"Finally," relieved sigh. Wu Fei stood and stretched before heading towards the bedroom door. "So what do you want first, food; shower; or find out if Duo's sent his report?" 

Heero cracked his neck before joining Wu Fei in the hall. "Food sounds good, and I am curious about Duo's mission parameters and details, but I think we need a shower more than anything right now." 

Wu Fei nodded his agreement as they walked to the bathroom. The only cleaning any of them did last night was of their wounds and hands. After sleeping for most the day and then sitting and typing near three hours, both were feeling rather grungy. 

Downstairs Trowa and Quatre heard the shower starting and acknowledged it subconsciously, though they kept all of their attention on the screen and report in front of them. Nor did their attention waver when the two refreshed and relaxed looking pilots cam downstairs an hour later. The two Asians paused for a moment, amused, before continuing into the kitchen. 

"Wonder how long they've been at it." Heero mused out loud as he searched through the food supply. _Something bland. We've not eaten a meal in the last thirty-six hours._

"Rice and milk sounds good." Wu Fei waited for Heero's nod before continuing. "I don't want to think about it. Quatre was awake and working on it before the rest of us; I imagine they're close to being done." He went to sit down at the bar to watch Heero set the rice to boil. 

They ate in silence, joined by Trowa and Quatre mid-way through their meal. Nobody mentioned the reports while they ate. In-fact, none spoke until Trowa started to gather the dirty dishes to wash them. When Wu Fei moved to help Heero glared and pushed him back into his seat. 

_~I'll help. You don't need to be standing in one place, it'll aggravate your sprain.~_

Wu Fei huffed as he was pushed back down. _~I managed to get out of there with it. It's fine. You know that it'll go stiff if I don't use it.~ _

~I didn't say you shouldn't be using it. I said you shouldn't be standing on it in one place for an extended time; that'll make it get stiff even quicker.~ 

Quatre looked at Wu Fei, who was glaring at the back of Heero's head, then to Heero, who was rinsing and drying the dishes Trowa washed, before heaving a sigh. "Will you two please stop arguing?" 

Heero just kept rinsing and drying silently, Wu Fei stared out the window in the back door, and Trowa hid a smirk. Quatre smiled slightly and rolled his eyes. 

Wu Fei broke the silence first. "Any sign of Duo?" 

"Hmm? Not recently." Quatre replied, sipping at his tea. 

"He's still sleeping?" Shock and something like worry laced Heero's words. 

"Oh no, no, he's not asleep. Actually, he was up before any of us. He left for a walk while I was eating breakfast, about four or five hours ago. I've not seen him since." 

"Hmm." Wu Fei stayed silent, but looked to be in thought. 

Heero just snorted. "The baka's avoiding his report. He's going to put it off to the last minute; he's not changed at all." The last was tinged with amusement, tempered by what might be called fondness. 

Quatre chuckled with the rest of them. "I thought the same when he left." 

Wu Fei raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't say anything to him before he left?" 

"I was kinda preoccupied with the fact that I could see no signs of injury on him," he responded a little testily, still somewhat stressed. 

They all looked thoughtful; Heero and Wu Fei's surprise could be seen on their faces. 

"You mean…." Wu Fei was cut off by a beeping sound coming from the living room. The four where in there instantly without conscious thought. 

Quatre opened his laptop and accessed his new mail. It was from H.Q., Une herself in fact. And it was marked urgent. 

Quatre opened the message and the others read over his shoulder: 

_Some of the assassins are unaccounted for, number as yet unknown.   
There is evidence of escape other than yours. We believe they are   
regrouping before coming after you. Be on guard. Arrangements for   
relocation in progress, will be in contact soon.   
Watch Yourselves. _

Une 

"You said Duo went for a walk. Did he say where he was going?" Heero's eyes had a calculating look to them, trying to figure out how far Duo could have gotten by now. 

"No. He left through the back door." Quatre said as he typed a response, acknowledging the message to let Une know it was received. 

Heero ran upstairs to get his and Wu Fei's cell phones while Wu Fei got their shoes. They were both out the back door in less than three minutes, following the dirt path, hoping that it would lead to Duo. 

_~Quatre and Trowa are setting up surveillance equipment around the perimeter of the house, and they both have their cells on and with them.~ _

~Good.~ 

~He's also not getting an answer from Duo's cell. It's going directly to voice mail.~ 

~Baka! He probably turned it off.~ 

After running for near fifteen minutes they found some scuffing on the path, giving the impression that Duo had started to jog at that point. They stopped to look at the prints long enough to learn the prints were a few hours old. 

They kept running for another hour and a half, checking in with Quatre, who was staying near the laptop incase of updates, every half hour. The terrain started getting hilly, and after another hour some of the hills developed steep rocky drop offs. 

The two slowed down near the top of one such hill, made steeper by a minor rockslide. 

_~Maybe from the rain last week?~_

Wu Fei shook his head. _~Looks too fresh, and there's no dried mud clumps.~_

As they got to the bottom of the hill they found another set of footprints. They were headed in the opposite direction, towards the safe house. Heero bent down to get a closer look at them while Wu Fei kept his eyes and ears focused on the surrounding area. 

_~They're Duo's, though it looks like he was dragging his feet…and limping.~ _

~But how could he have already turned back? We didn't pass him.~ Confusion was clear in his voice, almost covering his concern. _~And it doesn't look like he veered off this path.~ _

~Look closer at the trail,~ Heero pointed at the path on the hill behind them. _~They continue back up the hill.~_

They both frowned and carefully ran back up the hill, keeping an eye on Duo's prints. 

"No." Heero whispered when the prints ceased and the slide began. 

Wu Fei shook his head. _~Duo has more sense than to be so careless.~_

Heero nodded his agreement as he walked over to the edge of the fall and looked over. "But what else could have happened? Where else could he be?" Heero's voice grew cold. "Unless he's been captured." 

They both had only a moment to contemplate that thought before Heero's movement caused some loose gravel to fall down the slide. The sound of gravel on gravel drew them back to themselves, but it was the moan that dragged the two to the bottom of the slide. 

"Duo?!" They both called out simultaneously, doing their best to not chock on the dust their reckless decent had stirred up. 

_~Let the dust settle. We'll be able to find him much easier.~_ Even with that said, Wu Fei continued to search, moving only his eyes as he knew Heero was. 

Once the dust settled, Duo was in plain sight, though buried under a light sheet of dust and small gravel. 

"Duo." Wu Fei breathed, his tone so low it sounded neutral. 

_~He's unconscious. Let's turn him onto his back and see if we can wake him up. Keep your eyes open.~_ Heero said after checking for broken bones. _~No head injury either.~_ As Heero rolled Duo over he felt a sense of relief. _~Multiple cuts and scraps from the fall. His pants are soaked in blood and torn up, but it doesn't look like anything's broken. He should be fine once cleaned.~ _

~Good. I see no signs of any other beings. We should head back now.~ 

~Right~ Heero moved to picked Duo up, and blinked once, taken by surprise at what he now saw. _~He went for a walk…in_ socks_?!~_

That got a surprised laugh out of Wu Fei. He glanced at Duo's feet, and sure enough there were a pair of dark blue socks on his feet. Wu Fei shook his head before replying, _~There's not much of a difference between those socks and those pathetic excuse for tennis shoes he wore on the mission.~ _

~True, but those at least had a thin bottom of rubber. …Really thin soul.~ 

Heero just shrugged his shoulders before he picked Duo up and placed him over his shoulder as gently as he could. He couldn't very well manage the trails while carrying Duo in his arms, though part of him did enjoy that short sensation. 

Wu Fei smiled slightly in agreement to what he knew his love was feeling, and started back up the steep incline, followed by Heero. He didn't pull out his cell phone until they reached the top again, a good twenty or so minutes later. 

"We've found him. We're on our way back." 

"{Good. No change here.}" 

"Acknowledged. Out." He hung up and again focused on the trail and area around them. "There's been no change." 

Heero nodded his acknowledgment, concentrating on staying on the path and not dropping his burden. _~Why hasn't he woken up?~ _

~I'm curious as to why he's unconscious in the first place. You said there's no sign of head injury. And how did he get down there anyways?~ 

~I've been wondering the same thing. The tracks that were headed back up the hill; you said he appeared to be limping? Do you think it was from exhaustion?~ 

~Or some hidden injury he failed to mention.~ 

Heero could lightly feel through their link Wu Fei's annoyance as he thought that. _~True. But then, why would he have gone so far as to exhaust himself? He has more sense than that.~ _

~…You don't suppose he actually was injured yesterday?~ 

~If so, then he would have had to have been purposefully hiding them from us. We didn't see anything yesterday, and Quatre said he looked fine this afternoon. But why would he hide them from us?~ 

The two had steadily increased the pace that they were traveling at, and were currently going at a light jog. As they left the steep hills, they again picked up the pace to a heavy jog, just short of running, ever cautious of the low hills and area around them. 

"Indeed, why would he? He can be an idiot at times, but even Duo isn't so foolish as to hide his injuries while on a mission." 

"Hn." Heero nodded. They both remained silent for the next hour, sans Wu Fei's check-ins with Quatre. Duo didn't stir the entire time, though his breathing remained steady, as though he were merely sleeping. 

As they neared the end of the hill-filled terrain the two Orientals grew more cautious and rigid instead of relaxing. They both kept their pace steady and fast, and their senses trained on the sights and sounds around them. 

_~Still no signs of waking?~ _

~None. No signs of being followed?~ 

~None.~ Wu Fei sighed mentally. _~We'll figure things out once we get back to the safe house.~_

"Any news?" 

"{None. I don't expect anything soon.}" 

"Right. Out." Thus ended yet another near identical check-in. 

_~Still nothing?~ _

~Nothing. He's not expecting any news or updates for a while, possibly not till morning.~ 

~Hn.~ 

Wu Fei resisted the urge to roll his eyes, used to Heero's habit of reverting to the Perfect Soldier in dangerous situations. _Not so perfect anymore though, and that's a good thing. No matter how happy it makes me that he's allowed himself to open up and "become more human," I know it'd be a bad thing for him to forever loose his talents and abilities. It's been about two years since the war ended, since he could really put an effort into opening up and to stop repressing his emotions. _

I remember the first few months; he thought it'd be best to just put the Perfect Soldier behind him, to ignore it like he had been doing with his emotions. To trade the soldier for emotions. That…was something I don't much care to remember or re-experience. We thought to try living like "normal" people do, and just ease into it slowly, and it would just happen naturally. Wu Fei smirked and chuckled silently. _That lasted about a week and a half. It either drove me crazy first, or Heero hid it better. Actually, I think Quatre was the first to get fed up with that, but he kept it to himself. Trans wasn't too happy with that particular idea when he found out about it either. We realized we weren't being ourselves before they decided they needed to interfere, thankfully. Any changes resulting from that experience would have been as false as the existence itself. _

We decided to go on a "vacation" next. Wu Fei smiled as he remembered that particular "vacation." _Just the two of us, a cabin in a forested area on Mt. Fuji. Heero had used the cabin as a safe house during the war; it was his suggestion when we decided we should just get away and "find ourselves." It's on private property, a good distance away from the other residences. The forest was small, not enough room for anyone to get lost in, but it was peaceful and beautiful. Once the trees ended there was a short extension of the mountain, like the cliff edges you see some people throw themselves off of in movies. We could see the lake near the base of Fuji, and the very tips of the buildings of Yamanaka at the base. _

After we got settled in and actually relaxed, I discovered something about Heero that I'd not known. He had already started to slowly let his emotions have sway over him, and he didn't even realize it until I caught him. He enjoyed watching sunsets. I found him on that cliff edge one evening, watching it. He was sitting, his legs dangling over the edge and his arms behind him, hands on the ground holding him up while he watched the sunset from his laid-back position. I joined him at the edge, sitting next to him and silently watched the sun finish its journey. 

I suppose he felt my question, because he spoke before I could voice it. Wu Fei again smiled fondly at that particular memory, but decided it wouldn't be a wise idea to dwell on it at that moment. Even so, he could not keep his thoughts silent. _He eventually told me that it was Duo who caused him to start watching the sunset. He had occasionally caught Duo staring at the moon through a window; he even found him on the roof a couple of times. Duo told him that watching the moon helped him to relax and think, then left Heero standing there before he could say anything. Heero said he thought about it, and kept it in mind because of how sincere Duo had sounded. _

A few weeks later, after a particularly bad mission, he was alone at a safe house with a balcony. He remembered what Duo had told him about looking at the moon and decided to try it. It was late afternoon, but he was exhausted and knew he wouldn't be able to get back up after he sat down, yet sleep would elude him in his current mental state. He went strait to the balcony and sat down, leaning against the one closed door, and watched the clear sky. He was fortunate in that he was facing west, otherwise he'd have missed the sunset. It was so…Heero couldn't put words to what it made him feel then, only that it helped calm him enough to sleep before a handful of stars were out, and no sign of the moon. He started watching them since then, at first trying to understand what it did to him, and eventually just accepted and enjoyed it. 

Wu Fei shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts and refocused his mind on the matter at hand, getting back to the safe house, safely. Though his thoughts had wondered, his senses had stayed alert, and he knew he needed to call Quatre again. 

Wu Fei heaved a silent sigh as he pulled out his cell phone, casting a short glance in Heero's direction to determine his condition. _Seems to be holding up fine. Good._

"Anything?" 

"{Nothing.}" 

"Right. Out." Wu Fei glanced at Heero again, and caught him smirking. _~What's so funny?~_

Heero went ahead and chuckled mentally. _~You. You sound almost bored with the check-ins.~ _

~Aa.~ Wu Fei rolled his eyes. _~I can see the house.~_

Heero nodded, and by mutual, silent agreement, they both again picked up the pace. Neither wanted to remain in the open any longer than necessary. Heero noticed that the new pace started jolting Duo more than the previous almost run. _He'll be fine; maybe it'll even wake him up._

Heero kept his eye out for the surveillance equipment Trowa set up, but could only find two motion sensors, and one infer red sensor by the time he reached the back door. 

Wu Fei pulled out his phone again. "Coming in the back." 

"Right. I'll let Trowa know." 

"Out." and hung up. "Let's get him up to his room before trying to wake him. We can evaluate his injuries once he's in bed." 

Heero nodded and followed Wu Fei. 

_~Should we get him out of those cloths before we try to wake him up?~ _

~…I think we should try to wake him up first Wu Fei.~ Heero quietly responded after a moment's hesitation. 

Wu Fei paused at the top of the stairs, but did not turn to look behind him at Heero. _~…Are you…blushing?~ _

~No, I'm not.~ 

Wu Fei chuckled before continuing to Duo's room at the end of the hall. "Maybe not physically," he whispered, to which he was greeted with silence. He frowned when he saw a flickering of light from underneath Duo's door. _What…? ~Heero, do you see that?~_

He stepped aside so that Heero could see Duo's door too. 

Heero's eyes narrowed; the closer he got to the door, the more something tugged at his senses. His eyes snapped wide when he recognized what it was. _~I smell something burning. A candle maybe? It's…it almost smells like…oranges, not too strong, but definitely oranges. The wick's been burning for a while now too.~ _

~Aa.~ Wu Fei opened the door slowly before reaching in to flick the light switch on. He looked around the room and spotted an orange colored candle on the nightstand next to the bed. A flickering drew his attention to the bathroom, where he found another orange candle. This one was further used than the one by the bed, giving the impression it had been burning longer, possibly over night. _~I can smell it now too. Orange is defiantly there, but…it also reminds me of the fields, just after a summer's rain. Very relaxing; I wonder where Duo found them.~ _

~Who knows. Let's get him onto the…bed. Kuso.~ 

Wu Fei turned from the bathroom to see what the problem was. He got his answer when his eyes landed on the bed. Heero was standing just at the end of it, Duo still over his shoulder, glaring at the bed and the basket of sheets in the middle of it. 

"What's the problem? Heero, why haven't you laid Duo down yet?" Quatre asked from the bedroom's door. 

Heero just moved out of the blonds' way so he could see the bed's condition. 

"Oh. I guess he didn't make it before he left for his walk." Quatre thought for a moment about making the bed, but glanced at his arm, complete with sling, out of the corner of his eye, and thought better of it. "Well, you'll just have to put him in one of the other beds." Quatre moved to leave, but stopped to say, "When you've gotten him situated, I want to know what happened." With that the blond Arabian went back downstairs intent on joining Trowa, who was with the surveillance equipment in the basement. 

Heero shared a look with Wu Fei before moving to their room. Wu Fei moved ahead of him to remove the junk from the bed that was not used the other night. It was still clean, unlike the other one. He pulled the blanket down, but left the sheet spread out for Duo to be laid on. If they could not wake him up, then they'd pull the blanket up over him. _I don't care how deep he may be sleeping. I'm not going to try to undress him._ Wu Fei acknowledged that there was more than one reason for that decision, though he refused to dwell on any of them. 

Heero did not even spare a glance at the pile of junk now on the floor between the two beds; he just laid Duo down as carefully as possible. He then backed up and looked at the braided youth, hoping he'd wake up on his own. He then watched silently as Wu Fei went to Duo's side to do a more in-depth search for injuries. 

Wu Fei sighed before moving from Duo's chest and up _~Nothing broken or cracked, though the ribs will be tender; only a few minor cuts from the fall~_ to his legs. 

Heero left for a moment to get a cool cloth from the bathroom, then knelt next to Duo's head and gently wiped at his face with the cloth, cleaning it of the grime and sweat caked there. He looked up and over at Wu Fei when he heard him growl. 

_~What is it?~_ He prompted when Wu Fei started muttering curses in Chinese. 

"He did hide them. He was injured and hid it from us." His voice tightly controlled. 

"What?!" Heero said sharply, causing Duo to jerk on the bed. 

Duo moaned and started to shift on the bed, and had both conscious pilot's attention on him before he opened his eyes. 

_~Move!~_ Wu Fei's command was hardly finished before Heero had complied, hopping off the bed and moving a couple feet away from the bed, still at the head. Wu Fei joined him a second later. 

Duo's eyes snapped open at the jolt caused by Heero's sudden movement. He focused on the two immediately. "Hey guys." he muttered, still a little groggy. 

Wu Fei's eyes flashed before he stepped right up to the bed and glared down at the braided youth. "You idiot!" he growled out. "What the hell were you thinking?! Were you even thinking to begin with?!" 

Duo just blinked at him, a confused look coming across his face. "What are you talking about Wu Fei?" he asked quietly, his confusion obvious. 

"Your legs! You've got two bullet wounds in one, and two broken toes on the other! And you hid them from everyone." Wu Fei's voice got quiet towards the end, but it also got colder. 

Heero had joined Wu Fei as he finished, shocked at the extent of Duo's injuries. He was silent for a moment as he caught Duo's eyes; his fury, disappointment, and disdain clear in his eyes. "Baka. You endangered the mission, your teammates. You could have gotten someone killed or captured had they relied on you to be at your best as you pretended. This isn't a game Maxwell. How are we expected to rely on such a mindless fool to get things done correctly and get everyone out alive?" Heero clenched his fists, his mind reeling; still trying to grasp the idea that Duo was hurt without his knowledge. 

"There is no plausible way even you could have forgotten about those. You cleaned the bullet wounds yourself as none of us did; you didn't even wrap or tape your toes! Yet still you went out there, in socks no less, and wore yourself beyond the point of exhaustion! How long would you have been at the bottom of that fall if we hadn't gone looking for you? Do you know what kind of danger you put the general area in with your inanity?" 

_~We need to calm down.~ _

~You're right.~ Wu Fei welcomed the interruption, grateful that he was stopped before he could say something he'd regret. 

Heero turned his back to the bed and stalked out of the room, not looking back. 

Wu Fei threw a parting look at Duo before closing the door, mildly surprised to see his eyes closed and expression blank. "Sleep, then get yourself cleaned up." Wu Fei surprised himself at how well he managed to keep his voice neutral. 

Duo remained on the bed until he was certain both had had enough time to get downstairs and into a different room before he opened his eyes again. His face was neutral, no sign of anything could be seen on it. No smile, no frown, nothing; not even his eyes, the windows to a persons soul, showed anything. 

He went to the door as silently as possible, and exited the same way. There was no way the others could hear him as he made his way from Heero and Wu Fei's room to his own. He heard the dryer running before closing his door. He moved across the carpeted floor as though his legs were whole, not the bloody and tattered mess his fall had created; only a slight limp or his right leg hinted at his foot's broken bones. 

He headed for his shower after locking first the bedroom then bathroom door. _Nobody should notice the running water with the dryer going,_ he thought as he pulled out his shampoo, conditioner, and gel soap from his bag, as well as his toothbrush, toothpaste, and a hairbrush with a few hair ties on the handle. After putting everything in its proper place, he started the water in the tub and pulled out some towels as he waited for it to get to a decent temperature. 

He found some water repellant wraps for his left thigh and the bullet wounds there. Sitting on the edge of the tub, he wrapped them after cleaning the area with a wet cloth and cleaning the wounds themselves with alcohol. He also pulled out some water resistant tape for his two middle toes. Pulling his braid in front of him, he took the tie out and started to unravel the long braid before brushing it, working from the bottom up, wincing at the few big tangles, but otherwise worked through it quickly. 

_That's fine,_ he decided once his hair was tangle free and the water decent, and got into the shower; he closed the curtains and switched the faucet to the showerhead. Duo hissed in a vain attempt to ignore the warm water running over the multitude of cuts covering his body. He turned around, keeping one hand on the inside wall for balance, so that he could soak his hair before bringing it over his shoulder so the spray could hit his neck and back. Moaning at the contact, Duo started to relax, and so his mind started to wonder. 

_Beautiful. I go from one nightmare to another._ Flashes of what he'd dreamt before waking up with Wu Fei and Heero standing over him passed through his mind. 

**Fire. Shock. Pain. Danger. Anger.   
_I'm surrounded._**

Duo's thigh throbbed in remembrance of the bullet responsible for that fire. 

**There were four of them, one at each side, all multiply armed. The one in the back was the one that fired. _He'll be first._ Duo smirked as the four drew closer, weapons held at the ready. They stopped well out of arms reach, but all within sight. _Maybe they're not as stupid as I thought…. Not by much though._ **

One carried a variety of bladed daggers and knives, while another had multiple throwing weapons; small knives, darts and stars. The one in front held a curled whip. _Pissed the hell out of me when I realized what it was made of._ The last one had a pair of sai's held at his back, a single metal nunchuk in one hand and the gun, an unrecognizable model, in the other. _Probably modified it himself._ He also had a few others on his body. 

_My turn._

Duo snapped out of his musings at the shock of cold water. His body had gone through the routine of bathing while his mind was otherwise occupied. Quickly turning the water off, he opened the curtains and sat on the edge of the tub to dry his hair. He grabbed one of the larger towels on the toilet and, after flipping his hair over his head, started to rub at it vigorously; when he was satisfied with it he wrapped his hair in the towel and around his head. Once he was certain his hair would not be dripping down his back, he started drying off. 

As he went back into his room to get some fresh cloths, hair still in a towel and another one hanging over his shoulders, he grabbed his first-aid kit to redress his injuries. He stared for a moment at the unmade bed, heaving a resigned sigh before laying his mostly dry towel on the bed to sit on. He changed the dressings on his leg and re-tapped his toes together before getting dressed and hunting down a clean pair of jade colored socks. 

After drying his hair and brushing it out, Duo flopped backwards on the bed, rubbing at his temples. He closed his eyes and attempted to clear his thoughts. Laying his hands back down on the bed, he found his brush and rubber bands. _I really should braid my hair, it's just going to get tangled up again…but my head hurts so much…. I'll just leave it down for now, and put it in a loose braid after the muscles have relaxed a bit._

With that decided, Duo headed downstairs, intent on finding some food. He'd missed lunch and his stomach was upset with him over that fact. Clad in a loose pair of black sweat pants and shirt, with his loose hair flowing just past his knees, he stopped at his closet to pull out a pair of black steel-toe boots, slipping them on carefully. 

Duo kept his eyes out for the other pilots, but did not see any in the living room, down the hall, or in the kitchen. The hall closet was open, so they might have been in the basement, though he couldn't think of any reason for all of them to be down there. _Unless they're avoiding me._ He didn't contemplate on that thought, preferring instead to look for something edible. He was immediately aware of the four pairs of eyes on him after he opened the pantry door; it was stuck so it made some noise when he got it opened. 

The other four boys were outside, their attention drawn to the kitchen through the double window over the kitchen sink. They stared in shock when they realized it was Duo. Heero and Wu Fei both near stopped breathing, and Quatre and Trowa were not much better off. 

Duo took note of their staring, but never looked at any of them. He just went about making himself a penut butter and banana sandwich and went back to his room, grabbing an apple on his way out. He placed the apple on the plate with the sandwich so he could hold his glass of milk in the other hand. With both hands full, he took extra care when ascending the stairs. 

Closing and locking the door behind him, Duo set his food and drink on the stand by his bed before moving about the room, turning the lights on and making the bed. After blowing out the candle in the bathroom, he pulled his CD case out of his bag, looking through it as he moved over to the small boom box located on the room's dresser. _It's almost too small to call a boom box,_ he thought as he found the CD he was looking for. 

It had a picture of three shadowed figures, two obvious females, turned slightly towards the male in the middle, on the cover. The background was a forest that gave the impression of a mystical mystery; one had to look closely to see why. In the forest were various colored lights blending in with the growth, and shapes of fairies, pixies, and some other creatures who's names are not as well known, scattered throughout the forest, as well as in the name of the band and CD title. The Sirens was the bands' name, with the title just below that, Mystery of Magic. The three figures were just above the band name, and you could see that the two on the left were the same height, but that the female on the far right, though her head was at the same level as the other two, was shorter. Her feet hovered off the ground with the rest of her, just above the ns at the end of the name; the only explanation for that was the light shadow of wings coming from her back. 

He set everything up and skipped the CD to play track ten of seventeen, and programmed it to repeat all before turning the volume as loud as he could handle with his receding headache. He moved to the bed and his food as it started to play. 

It started out immediately with drums and guitar being the most obvious instruments being used. The lyrics started soon after. 

***We ride.***

The music was loud enough for Duo to feel the vibrations from his position on the bed. He leaned back as he ate, letting the music relax him. Even the other pilots, still outside, could hear it. 

***Ride through the valley and thunder and rain   
the battle is raging, redeem this domain   
The Castle of Eden lies silent above   
darkness surrounded us, away we must go***

Heero and Wu Fei had just finished telling the other two how they'd found Duo when said pilot entered the kitchen. They had stood in a daze at the sight he presented, even after Duo had gone back upstairs. It was the music that snapped them back to awareness. 

Wu Fei looked up to the general location of Duo's room, a frown forming on his face as he listened. 

***I look through the eyes of the world   
I see there's a Stranger among us.   
Awaiting a sign from above   
to conquer the power and the glory Yeah!***

Quatre just shook his head in mild amusement and partial exasperation. _~I still don't understand how he can enjoy that kind of music.~ _

~It's called rock. It suits him.~ Trowa reached down to his waist to reassure himself that the pager was still there. If anything triggered the surveillance equipment, it was set up to page him so he didn't have to stay in front of the monitor at all times. 

Quatre spoke up, drawing everybody's attention again. "We got another e-mail just after your last check-in. We won't have the location of our new safe house until tomorrow morning. Till then we're to be cautious and stay near the house." 

***Enter the battle, our will to enchain   
bringing us forward, defeating the pain   
into the meeting with swords made of steel   
we're standing together the secret reveals***

"Right." Heero acknowledged, casting a glace at the still silent Wu Fei. _~Is something wrong?~_

"Huh?" came Wu Fei's startled response. "Oh, no. It's nothing." Wu Fei shook his head. "It's just, that song…it sounds familiar." 

***I look through the eyes of the world   
I know who's the Stranger among us   
Awaiting a sign from above   
to conquer the power and glory***

The other three listened for a bit before shaking their heads. "I don't believe he's ever played that one before." Quatre stated. 

"Nor do I; I'm sure he's never played it, and yet…." Wu Fei trailed off. 

***Come across to the Promised Land   
close your eyes, I will take your hand   
Through the river of steel we'll go   
When the dragon lies bleeding***

Heero noticed Wu Fei shifting from one foot to the other, favoring his sprained ankle. He berated himself for forgetting about it, and dragged his love back into the house. He'd have carried him, but he knew that would cause more trouble than it was worth; Wu Fei would have none of it. 

Quatre chuckled and Trowa gave a small smirk at Wu Fei's startled expression when he was hauled back into the house by the grip on his wrist. 

***Come across to the Promised Land   
close your eyes, I will take your hand   
Through the river of steel we'll go   
When the dragon lies bleeding***

Heero pushed Wu Fei down onto the couch in the living room, and gave him a look that clearly said "stay" before going back into the kitchen for some ice. Once he had that, Heero moved to arrange the cushions so that the ankle was elevated, then checked to see if any more damage was done. The ankle was already swollen and turning an ugly shade of purple and sickly green, but was still just sprained. He laid the ice around the swelling as he told Wu Fei that it was no worse for wear. "But don't you dare use it again." Heero enforced this with a heated glare directly into Wu Fei's eyes, to which Wu Fei gave a slight nod. 

"I'll go make us some sandwiches. What would you like to drink?" 

"Water will be fine. Thanks." Wu Fei knew better than to argue with Heero when he was like this. When he was still "new" to his emotions, Heero was fiercely protective of those he considered close or dear, be it person or possession. That protectiveness never really left, but was tempered. 

***Above the glory we'll carry on   
now the time has come to return back home   
The setting sun illuminates the dead   
the battlefield is shining red.***

Wu Fei let his head fall back to rest on the couch's arm; he stared up at the ceiling, his mind again focusing on the music coming from Duo's room. _I know I've heard it before, but where? And why is it bothering me so much?_

He smirked at that last line, somewhat amused. _I'd think he would want nothing that could bring back such…vivid memories._ Wu Fei closed his eyes and let the music relax him. He was surprised at how easy it was; he usually couldn't stand rock. 

Heero came back into the living room to find Wu Fei where he had left him, almost asleep. He set the plates and glasses down on the table, and debated about whether or not to let him sleep before eating. 

***Silent lies Eden on top of the moor   
we're fighting with honor protecting our Lord   
The last one survivor lies bleeding. I kneel   
into his heart I settle the steel***

Wu Fei's face came down into a frown and he shifted a bit as the lyrics started up again. Heero sighed and decided they'd both better eat before sleeping. _Why is it bothering him so much?_

"Wu Fei, I've got your sandwich. Are you awake?" 

***I look through the eyes of the world   
There is no stranger among us.   
We march to the end of the world   
In search for the power and the glory***

"Hmm? Yes, just dozed off I guess. Thanks." Wu Fei reached out and took the offered sandwich. Wu Fei sighed silently as he leaned back to eat. The two ate in silence broken only by the music coming from upstairs. 

"Why does he insist on playing it so loud?" Heero said, glaring at the stairs for a moment before looking back at his half finished sandwich. 

"That's how you're suppose to listen to rock." Wu Fei commented off hand. 

***Come across to the Promised Land   
close your eyes, I will take your hand   
Through the river of steel we'll go   
When the dragon lies bleeding***

Heero gave him a sharp, questioning look, but Wu Fei didn't seem to notice. He was eating his sandwich as though in a trance, his thoughts far away. "Wu Fei?" Heero breathed, uncertain, and not sure why. 

Wu Fei again didn't seem to take any notice of him. 

***Come across to the Promised Land   
close your eyes, I will take your hand   
Through the river of steel we'll go   
When the dragon lies bleeding***

The music was getting on Heero's nerves to begin with; Wu Fei's lack of awareness, which Heero believed was because of the music, took the last of Heero's calm and patience. He had finally calmed down and cleared his head after discovering Duo's injuries when Duo had come downstairs. And then it took that music to snap him out of yet another trance. 

***Come across to the Promised Land   
close your eyes, I will take your hand   
Through the river of steel we'll go   
When the dragon lies bleeding***

Heero stood up, set his plate down, and with a final glance at the still dazed like Wu Fei, headed upstairs. He was well on his way to being severely pissed off again, and once more intent on showing the braided youth just how much; after all, it was his fault. 

***Come across to the Promised Land   
close your eyes, I will take your hand   
Through the river of steel we'll go   
When the dragon lies bleeding***

The song continued to get lower, and was finished by the time he reached the top of the stairs. He had his arm raised to knock, or pound really, on the door, when he heard some shuffling. Duo was moving around in the room. _The baka. He should be staying off that foot._ This just served to darken his mood. 

He was again about to knock when the sound of first clicks, then soft beeping stopped him. A new song started, with what sounded like crickets and very soft children's laughter. Heero again hesitated. As a soft voice, a young boy, started singing, just the basic "La la la la," but varied in tone and depth, Heero decided he should get some ice for Duo's foot. A sort of apology for blowing up at him earlier, not that he didn't deserve it. _Besides, this one seems low enough…and soft. Not rock._

When he came back with a small ice pack wrapped in a washcloth, he noticed the music was again changing. It was still the same song, but the boy had stopped singing. …The hard stuff had started again. Guitar being the most obvious, then the drums, and some others that Heero did not want to identify. 

When he got to the door again, he realized that the volume had indeed been turned down, and could scarcely make out Duo's voice. He was talking to someone. _No one's in there though._ Heero thought for a moment before it became obvious to him. _Those beeps where from his cell phone. He's called some one…who would he be calling, and why?_ Heero didn't believe Duo was doing anything wrong per say, but he was extremely curious, even if he wouldn't admit it to himself. 

He positioned himself as close to the door as possible without making a sound to alert Duo to the fact that someone was in the hall and listening in on his conversation. He noticed that Duo sounded serious, but very calm. A combination Heero couldn't recall ever hearing from Duo. 

"…don't care anymore Lena. I've had enough. I'm not going to put up with this anymore. After this stuff is cleared up, one Duo Maxwell will cease to exist." Pause for a few minutes. "Nope," chuckled. "Uh huh, sure," said in good humor; Heero could almost envision Duo's smirk, before his voice got serious again. "I'm not sure. Can't really tell. Circumstantial. 'Fraid I'm not going to make that party though. Sorry Lena." He sounded truly sorry, even if his voice was laced lightly with humor. The humor is still present, though dread and resignation were more than obvious when he started again. "Yeah," he drawls out, "I kinda figured as much." Pause. "Thanks," dripping with sarcasm. Another pause. "Ok. Talk to you later then. Bye." 

There was a moment's pause, then a few squeaks to indicate Duo had dropped onto his bed. Heero left as silently as possible before he could get caught. He went back down stairs mechanically, and sat in the chair he had been eating in. 

Wu Fei looked up as he heard Heero just drop into the chair, a clearly dazed and lost look in Heero's eyes. Wu Fei's own eyes widened at that sight before he composed himself enough to question Heero. "Heero? Are you alright?" 

Silence. 

"Heero? Heero, what happened?" 

Silence. 

_~Heero?~_ Even his mental voice was beginning to sound alarmed, almost desperate. Heero was really beginning to creep him out. _~Heero! Snap out of it! What is wrong with you?~_

Heero's eyes hardened, his face cold and solid; he stood up and moved towards the front door. 

"Heero, where do you think you're going? We're to stay in the house until further notice." 

"In or near." Heero responded, his voice monotone. 

Wu Fei was really worried now. _Just what the heck happened? Where did he go and what upset him so much?_ Wu Fei silently tried not to panic as he pushed himself up and off the couch, intent on following Heero. Midway to the front door, he could see Heero sitting on the bench swing on the front porch. _He'll be pissed when he sees me walking. I hope…._

He was right. When Heero saw him coming out the front door, he audibly growled before standing up and almost stalking towards him. Heero picked him up and carried him over to the bench, carefully setting him down before sitting next to him. Heero then proceeded to ignore him; he was glaring ahead at the yard, his posture stiff and cold. 

Wu Fei hesitantly placed a hand on Heero's shoulder. Heero's head swung towards him, his eyes locking with Wu Fei's immediately. Wu Fei was stunned by the anguish, uncertainty, and lost confusion he saw in those eyes. "Heero…?" 

Heero just shook his head slightly as a new emotion entered his eyes, a kind of pleading. Wu Fei understood what he was asking, and brought his arms around Heero's shoulders. After a moment, Heero rested his head on Wu Fei's shoulder. They didn't pay attention to how long they stayed like that. They simply enjoyed it and took what comfort they could from the embrace. Heero had eventually shifted his own arms around to embrace Wu Fei as well. 

Wu Fei brought his right hand up and began stroking Heero's hair. "Heero, will you tell me what's wrong? Please?" he asked softly, determined not to ruin the mood. 

He felt Heero nod, but otherwise remain still. He took his time in explaining, trying to gather his thoughts. He'd have berated himself for his recent actions if he wasn't still shaken. 

Wu Fei gently pulled Heero back just enough so that he could look him in the eye. "Heero?" he again questioned. 

Heero averted his eyes, but did answer this time. He hesitantly opened his mouth, still looking off to the side at the yard, and softly spoke, "I…I think Duo's planning on killing himself." 

  


To be continued…. 

[Bwahahahahahahaha] 


	4. Hidden Secrets 4

**Hidden Secrets   
Part Four **

  


By: Valandra 

A/N: Ok, I know I said this would likely explain more about the boys…and I do….   
~No you don't~   
Do too. …Not much honestly, but it's set up to be explained in the next chapter. ^_^ And I did say maybe 4, not definitely. 

Sorry this one took so long. Got started on a few other stories, and, to be honest, chapter 3's lack of response when I first finished it kinda discouraged me. *blushes* I hadn't realized it had in fact been over three months until you pointed that out Llannadh. You, and Zorra's help and ideas, really kicked me back in action with this chapter. Thank you. ^_^ 

Hehehe, finally got Zorra to post on Gundam Wing Universe, though just some Ronin Warriors and Harry Potter (which I've bettaed). She's great, go read and review her stuff, let her know I'm not just flattering her because I'm a friend. 

^_^ Thank you all for the wonderful review! I'm truly honored, and appreciate your encouragement. 

Key:   
Thoughts are in (_Italics_)   
Telepathy talk is in (_~_)   
Normal talk is in ("") 

  
  


_"I…I think Duo's planning on killing himself."_ The words kept repeating themselves over and again through Wu Fei's mind, as he just sat there and stared at Heero. Heero had enough of his senses back to realize Wu Fei was in shock, and didn't take offense. 

"Are…are you sure Heero? Why…?" he trailed off, unsure of how to phrase his question without insulting his koi. 

Heero re-told Wu Fei exactly what he'd heard, word for word. Afterwards, he seemed a little…embarrassed, avoiding Wu Fei's eyes. "Thinking about it, I'm not so sure. Logically, what he said could be taken many different ways, what with how he phrased it. Duo's too much in love with life to just throw his away so easily; that was evident enough during the wars. But he never lies, and he sounded so upset and depressed, that it's still a possibility." _I'm acting like an over-emotional baka._

Wu Fei gave a slight nod at this, but kept his silence. He let his head fall onto Heero's shoulder, his heart rate slowing back down to normal, and his ankle throbbing double time. Heero, who still had his arms around Wu Fei's back, could feel it when he started trembling slightly. 

"Wu Fei?" before it dawned on him. _~You're ankles never going to get better at this rate, you realize that don't you?~_ Heero stood, careful to keep Wu Fei steady, _~Don't move.~_

Realizing there was no point in arguing with him, Wu Fei didn't so much as lift his head, except to move his grip from Heero's shoulders to his neck. _~Anybody sees this, and you'll pay, you realize that don't you?~_ Even his mental voice sounded fatigued. 

Heero just grunted and closed the front door behind them. Quatre hurried up to them, failing to notice Heero's suddenly pale complexion. Managing to school his features back into neutrality, Heero chose to ignore the blond, keeping his back to him, until he'd set his Koi safely on the couch. 

Quatre figured out what Heero was doing; as much as he found it cute, he had no intention of…upsetting either by saying anything about it. He waited a moment while Heero got Wu Fei settled before approaching them. "Guys, have either of you seen Duo?" 

He didn't miss the quick glance between both of them either. "Not since he came down for lunch. He was in his room before we went outside." 

"Since you both neglected to inform Dou of our new orders when you where up there," Quatre gave the two Asians a mild glare. "I headed up to tell him but he wasn't in his room. I've searched the entire house, his bed's made, and his stuff is gone. Trowa's not seen him and says none of the equipments gone off." 

The Asian's eye contact between each other lasted a touch longer this time. Wu Fei shook his head, "We didn't see him, but the equipment would have gone off if he'd gone far. You checked the area before the equipment?" 

Quatre nodded, "The closes one's a foot away from the back steps; Trowa would have seen if anybody's gone beyond that point. They're also on the window's on both sides of the house." 

Turning his back on the other two, Heero looked around the room, letting his thoughts process the possibilities. His eyes caught something flashing, which surprised him. "Quatre, did you know you've got mail?" he asked even as he moved over to the blonde's laptop. 

"What? No, I didn't; must have missed it while I was looking for Duo." He leaned against the small desk, located between the staircase and the hallway, and behind the couch, much to Wu Fei's annoyance. "It's from Une:" 

_Restriction uplifted. Targets apprehended, the   
mission's completed. I want you back at HQ   
and in my office ASAP.   
Out.   
**Une**_

"When was the message received?" Wu Fei asked once Heero was back with Trowa. 

Looking at the date, Quatre replied, "Half an hour ago. Duo likely had his laptop set up in his room, and got the message as soon as it was sent. That would explain why he left. Though not how, or why he didn't tell us about it. It says ASAP." 

Before either Oriental could start in on the braided boy, Trowa spoke up, "Isn't it obvious? She said the mission's complete. Duo's not a preventer, so the rest of her orders don't apply to him. He was only here for this specific mission. Not many knew where he was before, Une included. She had to call in a _lot_ of favors, and make quite a few promises just to find him. Even then, she was told that Duo refused at first; fortunately, the next day the same informant gave Duo's acceptance and a number to reach him at." 

Everything was silent as everybody took that in. "How do you know all that?" Heero spoke up, his curiosity, combined with his need to know how to locate the boy being too much for him. 

Trowa gave a small shrug, and looked to be trying not to smile. "I'm her favorite." To which he was graced with varying degrees of incredulous stares. He did smirk this time, "Fine," he huffed. "I heard her ranting about it to Sally. I was on my way to confirm the supply list for this mission when I heard her." 

"So you stopped to ease drop?" Quatre said, mildly teasing him. 

Trowa shrugged, "Old habit." 

"As far as how he got out, Duo's the stealth master. Even though he doesn't normally act like it, he has the skills to get past the limited equipment we had, if he really wanted to." Wu Fei spoke up, looking out the widow by the door; his neck had started complaining about being twisted around to face the others. Trying not to let his mind linger on exactly why Duo would want to sneak out without them knowing. He wasn't having much success. 

_Because he doesn't want us to find him; we couldn't find him before, why would now be any different? Does he know we were looking for him these last six months? Why is he even hiding from us? I want to believe he has good reason, yet he came on this mission, albeit reluctantly. Why is he avoiding us? _

…Even during this mission, he was avoided us, though not obviously. Sitting in the back of the vehicles, making it easier for the couples that he shouldn't have known existed to stay together; we were grateful enough for it that we didn't question it. He had the only solo part of the mission, so he had no need for other's assistance with the preparations; might have also compromised his objectives, which none of us were willing to risk, so again, we didn't question his avoidance before the mission. After the mission, we were all exhausted; it was only natural for him to want to sleep. As none of us were particularly hungry, we didn't think he would be either. He took the only single bedroom; again, as couples we were grateful, and yet, he still shouldn't have known about either one. Questioning him would have brought those up, something Heero and I were uncertain we were ready to do, and so Duo had his own sanctuary to hide from us in. 

He ignored us when he came back down-stairs, but we were too enthralled by his appearance to pay it much mind. The others might not have noticed, but he was aware we were watching him, and he never so much as looked in our direction. And then there's the music; something else to hide behind and to keep us away. …I still think that song's familiar, if I could just figure out why. 

Wu Fei looked up, letting his thoughts fall away for now, and realized the others were no longer in the room. They'd left to start packing while he was so wrapped up in his thoughts. _~Heero?~_ he reached out wearily. 

_~Upstairs. Don't even think of getting up. Trowa's packing up the equipment, and Quatre's getting their stuff together. What were you thinking so hard about Koi?~_

Wu Fei winced and laid his head back on the couch's armrest. _~Duo, and why he'd not want us to know where he's going. Realizing how much he really did avoid us during this entire time, making his disappearance something to have been expected. *sigh* And we never really gave him any reason to stay so we could talk, or give any impression we wanted to talk to him.~ _

~Hindsight's always twenty-twenty. But I should have realized that sooner. …I was worried about him finding out about us, and then with the bedroom situation it was like he already knew. ……I never really relaxed around him while he was conscious, either.~ 

~Not that that was often. *groans* Do you realize what the last thing we said to him was?~ 

"You were insulting him, that's what." 

Wu Fei looked up quickly, surprised not only by whom it came from and they'd been able to read his thoughts, but by his own actions. He found himself sitting with his head in his hands when before he was lying down. "Trowa? How…?" 

"…You were muttering to yourself." 

"Oh," he had the decency to lightly blush, though it was hidden behind his hands. 

He watched as Trowa hauled the equipment he'd gathered from out front into boxes in the living room, before moving the boxes downstairs into the basement; an agent would come by later to pick it all up. Wu Fei continued to watch, his thoughts silent and still, as Trowa did the same with the equipment from out back. Their silence was both uncomfortable and not when Trowa went upstairs to help his one-handed boyfriend. 

Wu Fei had been wondering if Trowa blamed him and Heero for Duo's leaving before Trowa went upstairs. He looked up as Heero came downstairs, both their bags in hand. 

"I'll be back to help you to the van." he said on his way out, a hard look telling Wu Fei again, to not get up. _~Are you ok?~ _

~As well as can be expected, why?~ 

~You stopped in mid-thought, and didn't notice when I called to you.~ 

Wu Fei started sitting up and tried to situate himself before Heero came back, to make things easier. _~Sorry; Trowa came in and we spoke a few words,~_ his chagrin obvious. 

_~Aa.~_

Heero came back in, and adopted a reproachful expression when he saw Wu Fei's position. Wu Fei only offered a look in return that clearly said, "deal with it." Throwing one glance at the stairs, and thereby missing Wu Fei's smirk, Heero picked him up and carried him out to the waiting mini-van. 

After making certain Wu Fei was settled in the front, Heero moved to the other side and started the van. He was halfway back to the house when Quatre and Trowa came out, Trowa with both their bags, and Quatre locking the front door. Shrugging slightly, Heero went back and sat in the drivers seat, waiting for the other two to get in and settled. 

**** 

After their debriefing, Une left the four of them in her office while she stepped out to "collect a few items," she had said. All four had varying degrees of nervousness, though none could determine why. Possibly because Une wouldn't say _who_ had found and apprehended the rouge targets. 

Or maybe because Heero and Wu Fei both were worried over wanting to ask Une for the contact information she'd used to find Duo. Quatre was sensing their worry, there for being affected by it and making it his own; in turn, causing Trowa to worry about _him_. The initial worry stemmed from Une's reaction to finding out that Duo wasn't with them. That he'd left once she'd sent her message. Trowa pointed out the way she'd phrased it, like he had for the other ex-pilots, and she was furious. She'd meant for Duo to be here as well. 

The four looked up as Une returned, locking her office door behind her. She had four vanilla folders in her hand, and had her face carefully neutral. Handing one to each agent, Une moved back to the front of her desk and leaned against it, facing the four. "Inside are pictures of the target's apprehension. Open them; I want your opinions and ideas." 

Confused, the boys did as told, pulling out various photos of the four targets. Mildly horrified would have been an understatement; what the pictures held were grotesque, and turned each of the boy's stomachs. 

"Please tell me they're dead…." Quatre managed to get out, though there was little doubt they were. 

"Quite. One of our agents that were scouting the area around the safe house found them; their bodies were already cold. Forensics took those pictures. What I want to know, is who did this. Obviously it wasn't you four; do any of you recognize this technique? I'd wanted Duo especially for this; from what I recall, of the four of you, he used a more…street wise style." 

"…Actually…this looks like Duo's style…." Heero stated; his voice was low, forcing the others to strain to hear it. 

"You're not serious Heero?! Duo'd never go _this_ far! I admit, there is a similarity, but this person took it much farther than Duo _ever_ has." Quatre spoke up, somewhat indignant on his friend's behalf. 

"Have you ever seen him pushed beyond his limits Quatre? Or severely pissed? You've seen what he could and _did_ do on the battlefield, in the gundam. Why would he be any less capable out of it? We all had training for missions in and out of the gundams, Duo would be no different. Just because we've never _personally_ witnessed his capabilities, doesn't mean he does not posses them." Wu Fei spoke up quietly, feeling himself defending Duo in some small way; possibly his skill and talent, even if this was the result of it. 

"…You'll notice also that there's a slip of paper clipped to a picture of each target. It's a list of the weapons either carried on said person, or connected to said person through fingerprints. I am not saying that whoever did this to them was in the wrong or that it was not unjustified. All things considered, I find it hard to believe a single person, former Gundam pilot or not, could do this much damage, against such opposition. 

"What I want to know is if there's somebody else out there that I have to worry about. With this kind of skill, I want to know if we have a possible liability or lunatic on the loose." 

Trowa shook his head, "It is definitely Duo's style. But you are correct about their arsenal. …And I don't believe Duo got away unscathed, as you seem to be thinking." He fell silent, and after a moment realized that nobody else was going to pick it back up. _Please tell me I'm not the only one who's not_ totally _oblivious._

"As Quatre told us this morning, Duo didn't seem to be injured. He was going up the stairs, in and out of the basement, and then left for that walk. Neither Heero nor Wu Fei could see any signs of injury when we switched vehicles the night before. 

"Yet when the two of them found Duo after the first e-mail, he was at the bottom of a hill slide, unconscious. Obviously battered and bloody, which he wasn't when he left. When they brought him back, Wu Fei found damaged ribs, gunshot wounds, and a couple broken toes. Yes," his voice firm as he glanced at Wu Fei, "you said the gunshot wounds looked to have been cleaned and a day old. But he wouldn't have been able to go walking, in socks no less, with two broken toes and no wrapping on them. 

"Maybe he hurt himself in that fall, but do you honestly think he'd let that happen?" 

"No. He fell there because he was exhausted, and limping. We saw that in his tracks; his feet were dragging. He was a good ways from the house too; when we found him, he had already started back to the house." Heero said, trying to not contemplate what this new information meant about that past situation. Not until he had time, and privacy enough, to really think about it. 

Wu Fei found himself doing the same. "Is there a search for their attacker?" 

Une shook her head once. "No. We had search notices out on them an hour before they were found. It took us that long to identify which bodies were missing. The agent that found them admits to getting an anonymous tip, letting him know the general area that the targets could be found; also, that they had been taken care of. I'll have him listen to a recording of Maxwell's voice, see if it's the same or not. 

"We don't have enough incentive or evidence to go after whoever did this. There's been no information on anybody or groups with this kind of ability. As it is, things seem to be pointing towards Maxwell. He had the authorization to use such force if necessary; and it appears it was, if he was alone." Une closed her eyes, and seemed to be trying to steady herself. "There were too many footprints there for us to be certain if there were more than one against the targets. 

"I shouldn't need to tell you four that this is all confidential. Not a word to anybody. If you see Maxwell, tell him I want to see him." With that, they were dismissed. 

Placing the folders on Une's desk, Heero was the last to leave. Standing before the doorway, he turned to face Une. "Commander Une, we were wondering if you would give us the contact information you used to find Duo." 

She seemed surprised, "You don't know how to find him yourself?" 

If it irked him, Heero hid it well. "We were trying for a few months before now, with no success. We didn't even realize when he left today. Like we told you, we tried his cell phone, but its service has been canceled." 

"Very well," she said, moving to her desk drawer. Looking through it, she found what she was looking for. A brown envelope, with the name "**MAXWELL**" printed on the bottom. "I don't know if it's still any good, but it can't hurt. Remember, I want a word with him if you find him." She said, passing the envelope to Heero. 

Nodding as he accepted the envelope, "Yes ma'am. Thank you." Turning, he left and closed the door behind him. The others had gone on ahead to Sally's office. Tucking the envelope in the back pocket of his worn jeans, Heero headed in that direction as well. He couldn't help but notice that Sally and Une were the only stragglers still in the office. _Well, it is nearing midnight…. _

~She gave me the contact information; I'm on my way to Sally's office now.~ 

~Good; the onna was…upset that you weren't here with us.~ 

Heero just chuckled, making sure Wu Fei could hear him. _~And you did nothing to provoke it, of course.~ _

~Of course not! I would never do something like that.~ Wu Fei tried to sound indignant, but his muffled laughter kind of ruined it. 

He and the doctor had a strange friendship. One in which they tossed insults and constantly provoked and pestered each other. Their friendship was strong, though how bewildered most; Heero included. He could understand to a point. They enjoyed the other's company, and this was just how they showed their…friendship? Respect? _One cannot confine a friendship into words; to do so would tarnish it, allowing it to loose its essence._

Heero shook his head and entered the office, bracing himself for Sally to start in on him. He just hopped she was too busy with Quatre's arm to notice his entrance. 

**** 

They'd started the search for Duo as soon as Sally had dismissed them. As they were "reserve" agents, they weren't needed at headquarters daily, just when they were called in. So they had plenty of free time to search. Quatre and Trowa were helping with the search this time, too. 

A search they'd been at for almost a month now. A month since the last time they'd seen Duo, a month since they'd last heard of him. The contact information Une had provided didn't help much, but it did give them a place to start. Not much more than that. 

If Duo wanted to be found, he would be; if he didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be. He had to know by now that they were looking for him. None of the four could understand this. During the wars, Duo was always keen on having the five of them together in the same safe house, whenever plausible and possible. 

Why now would he hide himself from them? He'd seemed fine during that last mission. When Quatre voiced this belief, Wu Fei explained to the other three his realization of how Duo had actually been avoiding them. Once it was pointed out, the others agreed as well. 

Duo Maxwell was gone, and nobody seemed able to find him. 

It was a week ago that Heero agreed with Wu Fei about telling Trowa and Quatre of the phone call he'd heard Duo make to "Lena." They agreed it was odd, and likely not suicidal. They also came to acknowledge that they were looking for Duo Maxwell, or an alias that suited him. With the new knowledge of the phone call, it was pointed out that Duo, as they knew him, might in fact no longer be. If he was truly so intent to hid from them, then he would have changed _everything_ about himself. This gave the ex-pilots pause. If Duo was honestly so desperate to stay away from them, did they really have any right to track him down and force themselves in his life? 

Heero brought up the point that, though Duo has the right to tell them to stay away, they have the right to know why. Every impression Duo had given them was that they were friends; friends don't do this sort of thing to each other. They don't ignore each other, avoid a problem and hope it'll go away; they discuss it, work it out. If whatever problem Duo has with them cannot be dealt with, if they had no chance of staying the friends that he pretended to be, then they would respect his wishes. The others agreed. 

**** 

Heero was staring at his laptop; not with a type of appreciation one would expect, considering how much time he's been known to spend on it; not with neutrality either. But with complete loathing. The thing that had helped him so much during the war was now doing little more than frustrate him. It was doing little to nothing to help with their search, and Heero had just spent the last fifteen hours on it, to no avail. He was no further in the search than before. 

Wu Fei had tried to pry him away, but the belief he had a lead would not let Heero waver. Though disappointed with the failure, Wu Fei was relieved that Heero was off the blasted thing. _Must be how Duo felt during the war,_ Wu Fei realized. 

"Heero, there's some lunch in the kitchen. Come on," Wu Fei gently guided Heero into the kitchen, hopping to keep him from the violence he seemed dangerously close to. 

Quatre looked up from his place at the wooden table and gave Wu Fei a questioning look. Wu Fei shook his head, letting the blonde know they'd not found anything. 

The kitchen was spacious, as one would expect of a Winner residence. It wasn't, thankfully, one of the massive mansions. Just a smaller version; two stories, plus an attic and basement. The live in servants had been sent to the Winner mansion not three hours away; the boy's kept it in good condition while they stayed there. Quatre had insisted on the four living together during the search, and the three found it hard to argue with him. 

The kitchen, with the cooking area to the left of the door, and a small brunching area to the right, was still a chief's dream come true. There was a bar separating the kitchen from the walk-in area between itself and the door, with build in stools. The wooden table to the right was large enough to seat up to eight people; rectangular in shape, it stood with its longer side towards the door's wall. 

Trowa was in the kitchen filling drinks, lemonade from the tang in the air. There was a plate full of different sandwiches already on the table. Heero took a seat facing Quatre, his back to the door, while Wu Fei went to help Trowa carry the drinks. 

Trowa and Wu Fei had had a talk shortly after moving in. 

~~~~ 

Wu Fei, still concerned over Trowa's comment back at the safe house, sought him out after everybody had had a chance to settle in. He knew it was true, had acknowledged it back at the safe house; but he did not want there to be any strife between the four of them, especially now. 

"Trowa, may I speak with you for a moment?" he'd found him in the study, helping Quatre set up a search on the house's central computer. 

He seemed surprised at the request, but agreed. "I'll be back later Quatre," to which Quatre only nodded, engrossed in the search program. Trowa motioned for Wu Fei to lead the way. 

Which he did. They wound up in the small library downstairs. "What's bothering you Wu Fei?" 

"…I've been wondering about what you said, before we left the safe house." Trowa had a confused look in his eyes, though he kept his face passive. "That we, Heero and I, had insulted Duo. I know we were, I'm not trying to deny it," he quickly said, before Trowa got a different impression. 

Trowa nodded, though still confused. 

"You seemed…distant afterwards. Put-off almost. I…wanted to make certain of your… feelings…on the matter. Whether or not you blamed the two of us for Duo's leaving…." He trailed off, more than a little embarrassed at his admission and question. 

Trowa was surprised, to say the lest, and it showed on his face. He sat there in silence for a moment, trying to piece together what exactly Wu Fei was saying. He gave a small, reassuring smile, "No Wu Fei, I do not blame either of you for Duo leaving us. As you've pointed out earlier, he probably had no intention of staying to begin with. Actually, regardless of his intention, we all likely had a hand in his not staying longer. None of us exactly gave him a reason to stay. Whatever reason he had for disappearing at the end of the war must still be with him; or he's put it to rest and had a life to get back to." 

"…You're not worried that we should not be looking for him then?" 

Trowa smirked, "No. We may have given no reason for him to stay this time, but he did give us the indication that he wanted all of us together, at the least close, by the end of the war. Whatever changed his mind, has affected us all. Might sound selfish, but we do have a right to know why." 

Wu Fei nodded his head in agreement, relief flooding him inside. _Not just because it was cleared up, but also because I'm not the only one who feels this may be selfish, and finding it hard to care._ He was smiling when he brought his head back up. 

He could see a gleam in Trowa's eyes, and was certain his own were similar. Resolve renewed, the two had also strengthened a friendship and bond that regretfully didn't have much previous use. Time had worn it down, not constant exercise; but renewed as it was, the two subconsciously vowed to not let that happen a second time. 

~~~~ 

Heero resisted the urge to lay his head down; his anger and frustration were quickly turning into fatigue. Instead he forced himself to reach for one of the sandwiches and to eat it. Even so, his eyes were half-lidded, constantly trying to droop completely closed. He stirred a bit at Wu Fei's elbow in his side, but it didn't last. He managed to finish half of his sandwich before he knew he couldn't fight it anymore. 

_~Wu Fei? I'm going to bed…~_ He didn't have enough energy to care that his voice sounded…near dead. 

Wu Fei, however, was stunned. _I knew he'd pushed it, but not_ that _badly!_ After _really_ looking at him, Wu Fei realized Heero would be lucky to make it to the staircase without collapsing. _And he's about as stubborn as I am about being carried._ Looking towards the couple across from him, noting that Heero was almost out the kitchen door, "We're going to turn in early." He saw understanding in both boys' eyes before he turned and followed behind his drained boyfriend. 

They managed to get to their room on the second story with minimal difficulties. Wu Fei kept his left arm around Heero's back, giving support and making certain he didn't pass out. 

Closing the door behind him, Wu Fei went over to the window in the opposite wall. Heero was already sitting on their queen-size bed, located in the left-hand corner nearest the door. They kept the room simple, though considering it's one of Quatre's homes, that wasn't saying much. There was a double desk on the opposite wall, lined up with the beds, a bookcase and some shelves next to them. Beside the bed was the usual nightstand and reading lamp, one chest of drawers meant for "junk," and the walk-in closet's door. The final wall had the window, angled so the rising sun would wake the bed's inhabitants if the curtains weren't drawn. There were two dressers to the right of the window, one for each of the boy's clothing. 

Checking the locks on the window, Wu Fei stared out at the late afternoon sky. Voice resigned, Wu Fei spoke up without turning to face his other. "Heero, when was the last time you…." 

Heero cut him off, his voice weary but determined, "Just a couple of days. Would you please close the curtains?" He already had the sheets pulled back and was ready to lie down. 

"Heero," Wu Fei gave a small sigh, but did as requested. "You've been pushing yourself too much to be so careless. You can't go for so long, not with the…stress you've given yourself, nor the expectations. You're doing too much to not…." 

Again, Heero cut him off, "I know Wu Fei; just haven't had time too. Got that lead, and didn't want to risk loosing it." 

By this time, Wu Fei was sitting on the bed too, facing Heero. Heero looked about ready to just collapse, and could hardly keep his head up. He could tell though that Wu Fei was not happy. Through his exhaustion, Heero knew Wu Fei had a right to be; he also knew that Trans was going to flay him for being so negligent. _So long as he doesn't accuse or blame Wu Fei for it, I'll deal with it when it comes._

Slightly appalled at the lethargy he could see in Heero's eyes, Wu Fei conceded that sleep was the best choice for the moment. Motioning for Heero to lie down, Wu Fei slipped off his blue muscle shirt, but left the loose blue jeans alone. Heero had taken off his own black t-shirt before sitting down, leaving him in a pair of snug blue jeans. 

Lying down behind him, Wu Fei wrapped his arms around Heero, pulling his back against him. He let go for a moment to pull the covers over them, but quickly renewed his hold. He tucked Heero's head beneath his chin, sighing as he felt one of Heero's hands cover his own. "Sleep love; I'm waking you up in a few hours so we can go out." 

He felt Heero nod his head, his hair tickling him slightly. With a small smile on his lips, Wu Fei set his internal clock to wake him in a few hours. Soon after, he followed Heero in sleep. 

  
  


To Be Continued…. 


	5. Hidden Secrets 5

**Hidden Secrets   
Part Five **

  


By Valandra 

A/N: Well, it didn't go as far as I'd planned, but that was were the chapter wanted to stop, so who am I to argue? Like I promised, a bit more is learned about what the boys are. I'd love to hear ya'll's guesses, though I can't tell you if you're correct or not. ^_^ that'd just spoil the surprise.   
Also, please keep in mind that I have no intention of "bashing" any of the characters. I have a loathing for following the "stereotypical" in my writing, but I do admit that sometimes it is true nonetheless. 

Llannadh: Not sad at all; I've actually done the same thing before too. *blushes* I'm honored that you're enjoying this so much. I hope to continue not disappointing any of you. I loved the review you left for Mystics and Magics too. I'd planned on having it updated before HS, but it's being stubborn. As a result, chapter 6 for HS is already started. ^_^ 

Tsuki Doriimaa, I'm probably as much a fantasy lover as you; do hope I don't disappoint. I'd love to know if your idea turns out to be correct or not. ^_^ Chapter 4's ending was fun, if unexpected to me; but then, those two have a way of getting what they want from me, whether I'm aware of it or not. As soon shown. 

Mako-chan, congratulations on the conversion! ^_~ That's so awesome. 

Nelia, Harmonie Firefly, Onyxshadow, BvB, and anybody else whom I may not have mentioned; thank you all for your wonderful reviews and encouragement. Same to you too Zorra, my best friend and wonderful beta. 

Key:   
Thoughts are in (_Italics_)   
Telepathy talk is in (_~_)   
Normal talk is in ("") 

* * *

  


Wu Fei woke up as planned, not surprised to find that neither had moved much while sleeping. Reluctantly, he released his hold on Heero and sat up, pushing the too warm blanket off. Turning around to face him, Wu Fei gently rolled Heero over to lay on his back. He was hesitant to wake Heero up, but he knew he had to. 

"Heero, wake up," gently nudging the sleeping boy's shoulder, Wu Fei was only mildly surprised when he didn't wake up. Giving a small sigh, and chastising himself for letting Heero get this far gone, Wu Fei bent over and went to work getting Heero to sit up. Not an easy task given he was unconscious. 

Huffing in frustration, Wu Fei laid the boy back down. Straddling Heero's legs, Wu Fei again lifted him up and leaned his body against his own chest. Laying Heero's head on his left shoulder, he kept his left arm wrapped around Heero's back to keep him steady. Bringing his right hand up to his own neck, he ran the edge of his middle finger's nail against the flesh where his neck and right shoulder met. Grateful that though short, his nails where still sharp, Wu Fei was careful to not break the skin. 

After doing this until he could feel the warmth of his blood radiating from the abused area, Wu Fei shifted Heero around so his head was resting on the other shoulder. He carefully held Heero there until he could feel him stirring. Relaxing, but not removing his hand from the back of Heero's head, Wu Fei could feel Heero starting to nuzzle his neck; coming closer to the reddened flesh. 

"Heero?" Wu Fei breathed, keeping himself from making any moves that may surprise his other. 

He got a moaned, "Hmm?" in response, as Heero continued to nuzzle the base of his neck. 

Smiling slightly, Wu Fei ran his fingers through Heero's hair, drawing some of Heero's attention. "You awake yet?" as he tightened his arm around Heero's back. 

Heero stayed still and silent, letting Wu Fei play with his short locks, as he fought his way to full awareness. Blinking a few times, Heero immediately realized what he was doing, what had awoken him. Growling lowly, though not very menacingly considering he still felt drained, Heero tried to push out of his koi's hold. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing, Wu Fei?" 

Wu Fei didn't release either grip on Heero's waist or head. "Waking you up," false innocence lacing his voice. "What did you expect me to do, let you lay there and continue to waste away?" his sarcasm came through clearly enough. "Are you awake enough now to go out?" 

Wu Fei could feel Heero's body go slack for a bit before Heero nodded. "I really wish you wouldn't do that Wu Fei," exhaustion, resignation, a touch of fear; all could be heard in his voice, as well as seen in his eyes. 

Meeting his eyes, Wu Fei just gave a small smile before saying anything. "And I wish you wouldn't let yourself go this far. You know I don't unless you've pushed yourself too far." 

"You're fortunate my control is what it is," steering away from the usual argument, not strong enough to fight or even care for it. 

Leaning forward, bringing both hands up to cup Heero's jaw, Wu Fei whispered, "I trust you." Before sealing his lips over Heero's, gently conveying not just his confidence in his other, but his love; his devotion that made him willing to test that confidence. Moving his left hand back behind Heero's neck, he gently laid them both back down on the bed, not once stopping in his admission. 

Finally, a touch light-headed, Wu Fei broke the kiss, lifting his head just enough to see Heero's darkened sapphire colored eyes. Smiling languidly, Wu Fei brushed his hand over Heero's cheek. 

_~Mmm, Wu Fei….~ _

~I know, just a moment more….~ 

Heero's eyes glittered with his silent laughter. _~Any longer and I won't have the energy to get up Koi.~_

Wu Fei sighed in remorse, but obligingly rolled off. He watched as Heero slowly got himself up and out of the bed, staying close incase he needed a steady hand. Narrowing his eyes at just how slowly Heero was moving, "You so much as stumble and I'm carrying your ass the entire way to the field." 

To which Heero just grunted and continued towards the door. Giving a resigned sigh, Wu Fei followed right behind his headstrong boyfriend. 

**** 

They passed Quatre on their way out; he'd fallen asleep on the couch in the front living room, printouts scattered in front of him. Deciding not to wake him, both were quiet as they went down the hall to a side door. 

Walking down the worn path leading to the small forest and hidden field, Wu Fei noticed that Heero kept getting slower. He'd already wrapped an arm around his waist to keep him steady, and was close to carrying out his threat of hauling the boy the rest of the way. 

They were scarcely halfway to the field, yet it had taken double the time already. Scowling, Wu Fei turn in front of his other, hunched down enough to get his free arm underneath Heero's knees, and straightened up, bringing Heero with him. Continuing down the path at a pace between a walk and a run, Wu Fei ignored the glare attempting to melt the left side of his face. 

Growling in frustration, because he knew he wasn't up to giving a decent fight, Heero relaxed. He felt Wu Fei slide his arm up his back, stopping just under his shoulders. The new leverage let him rest his head on Wu Fei's shoulder; he was grateful it wasn't the scratched one. About to close his eyes, he heard Wu Fei's worried voice. 

_~Don't you dare fall back to sleep. We're almost there.~ _

~…I know; I'm trying….~ 

Finally! Wu Fei thought upon entering the field; it was really just a modest clearing within the small forest. Walking over to the tree he'd found Heero under a few times, Wu Fei set him down beneath it so that his bare back was leaning against the trunk. "Heero?" 

Heero took a deep breath, staying relaxed, but looked up at his worried koi. "I'll be fine; you should head back to the house…." 

Nodding, Wu Fei re-traced the path back to the house, unaware of Heero's look of amusement at his disregard for the dark. He could see just fine, there was no need for a flashlight; the stars were more than enough light to guide him. He would have brought one to leave with Heero, but it would be well past sunrise before he was finished in the clearing. 

Glancing back at the forest he had just exited, Wu Fei felt a slight pull at his essence. Smiling almost sadly, he hurried back to the house. _I should probably get Quatre up into his bed…though Trowa's probably just as exhausted. …I'll just get him comfortable on the couch and let him wake up on his own._

He thought about going back to bed himself, but knew he would be unable to go back to sleep. _Meditation it is…._

**** 

Quatre groaned, his hand moving wildly over the table behind him, searching for the source of the constant beeping. _Stupid alarm clock, why'd I have to set it for so early?_ Belatedly realizing that he was on the couch again, and that the beeping was constant, not gradually getting louder as his alarm would do, Quatre resigned himself to the fact that he was going to have to wake up. 

Blinking blearily, Quatre looked around for the source of the noise; finding that it wasn't in immediate sight, he set about shifting the papers. _How did I manage to burry my laptop? And who'd be e-mailing me at this hour…_ten o'clock_?!_ After opening his laptop, the digital clock in the bottom corner of it was the first to catch his eye. 

_What…how did…ieeee…._ Rubbing his eyes with both hands, Quatre swore to talk to Geisia about handling the budget increase, and Ira about stocks in the L1 colony. _If I never see another graph chart again…._ Sighing tiredly, Quatre opened the persistently beeping "new e-mail" icon. 

Seeing that the sender was Une, he tried to wake up a bit more. _It's been quiet for scarcely a month now, what else could have popped up?_

After opening and reading the message, Quatre collapsed back onto the couch, head landing on a pillow that hadn't been there the night before. He heard the front door over his low groaning, but didn't look up to see who it was. 

"Quatre? Are you alright?" Wu Fei asked upon entering the living room. Quatre was laid out on the couch, obviously awake even though he had his eyes clinched shut. Upon hearing Wu Fei's voice, he quickly buried his head beneath his pillow. Amusement drove an eyebrow up, concern made him ask again, "Quatre?" 

Draping one arm over the pillow, and consequently his head, Quatre used his other hand to wave at his laptop's general direction. He didn't say anything, though it did sound like muffled groans, or maybe moans, were coming from under the pillow. 

Curious, and a bit worried, Wu Fei sat on the floor opposite the couch and coffee table. Reaching across the table, he pulled the laptop over to him and turned it around; Quatre hadn't closed the e-mail before collapsing. Reading it over, he couldn't help but sympathize with the blond boy, especially knowing that he must have woken up to this. 

"Well, think of it this way. At least you'll be there on Preventer business, not as a Winner representative," he offered tentatively, trying to make light of it. It was definitely a groan that came from the pillow. Followed by muffled noises that Wu Fei couldn't make out. He just looked at the pillow, unsure of what to do. 

"What do you mean, 'It's too early for this, I'm not telling Heero.' Why are you buried under that pillow, and what aren't you telling Heero?" 

Wu Fei just blinked at Trowa, who was leaning on the entrance way to the kitchen, a coffee cup in his hand. Wu Fei looked between the two, before focusing on an area away from both. "I'm not even going to ask how you understood that, Barton." Indeed, he was steering his mind away from that train of thought, as well as fighting off the rising blush. As such, he didn't realize Quatre was convulsing on the couch until he sat up and moved the pillow from his face to grip it around his stomach. 

Still shaking, Quatre gasped for breath once his face wasn't buried in the pillow. His entire face was red, which was starting to spread down his neck as he continued fighting for air. He was calming down, but when he opened his eyes the first thing he saw was a flushed Wu Fei, and his laughter started up even harder this time. 

Wu Fei couldn't help but sit and stare at Quatre, slow in comprehending just what the boy was doing. His light flush deepened noticeably once he did, and he let his head fall forward in hopes of hiding it. Looking up moments later, once it became obvious that the blond had no intention of stopping any time soon, Wu Fei cast a side-long glance at Trowa. 

"Is he always like this in the morning?" he asked once he caught the other boy's eye. 

Shaking his head, Trowa only looked at Wu Fei for a moment before returning his gaze to his blond boyfriend. "Not at all. I wonder if the stress has finally gotten to him. Maybe he's finally snapped?" 

There came an indignant noise from Quatre, which sounded like "hey!" before a pillow was thrown in Trowa's direction. He caught it easily, and placed the pillow between his side and the wall where he was leaning. Realizing he wasn't going to get his pillow back, Quatre pouted. 

"Can I please have my pillow back?" since his hysterics had managed to further wake him, he had to put a small effort into making his eyes look pleading, in a cute sense. He'd managed to calm down for the most part, though his shoulders were still shaking and suppressed chuckles could be heard almost every other breath. He bit his bottom lip when Trowa shook his head no, completing the image of innocently longing. 

"Uh uh, I'm not coming near you. How do I know you won't attack me again, or jump me even?" Though his tone was serious, the glint in his eye told the other two that he was only half-joking. 

Wu Fei caught it when Trowa's eyes flicked in his direction, bringing his flush back even stronger. Rising to his feet, eyes still locked in Trowa's direction, he muttered, "Tdrasab" before making his way upstairs. 

He'd been practicing his katas before coming back in the house, and he wanted a shower. Heero was still out in the woods; probably wouldn't be back for a few more hours, or any minute now, depending on how he was feeling. Realizing that gave him a sudden impish impulse. 

He turned around to face the two still downstairs, though he couldn't see either because the ceiling was blocking his view. "You can tell Heero when he comes in. Thank you Quatre," he called down to them, then turning back to the hall continued to his and Heero's room for some clean cloths. Ignoring the sounds coming from downstairs, including the thud of someone falling off the couch. 

**** 

"Trowa?" Quatre started. They had gone to the kitchen after Trowa read the e-mail, about an hour ago. The shower had stopped in half that time, but Wu Fei wasn't coming back down any time soon. Heero was still outside as well. 

Sitting at the table, watching Quatre wash the bowl he'd used for breakfast, Trowa raised an eyebrow in acknowledgment. Drying his hands, Quatre moved over to the bar; placed his arms down and leaned on them, still facing Trowa. 

"What did Wu Fei call you?" 

Had he been drinking, Trowa was certain he would have chocked on it. Though he knew he should have expected Quatre to ask, that didn't make telling him any easer. Still hesitating on how to phrase it, Quatre spoke up again. 

"It sounded Espherian," he tilted his head to the side. "Was it?" to which Trowa nodded. "Maybe I should start learning it. I mean, you never know when it'll come in handy. But things seem so…tense right now, and it's not like we ever run into any other Mystics…not that we realize anyways…." 

"That's why you decided not to before. You know I think you should learn it, also that there is no rush. Heero hasn't started learning it either," Quatre's look clearly stated that Heero had better reasons, "and Wu Fei and I have no problem with translating for either of you when needed." 

Quatre's lips curved up into a smirk, "So," he drawled, "what does 'tdrasab' translate to?" he was careful with the foreign word's pronunciation. He could almost hear the "ummm" filling the following silence. 

Turning his gaze to the side, instead of Quatre's eyes, his words came slowly. "Well, the simplest translation would be something close to…'bastard,' I believe." 

Quatre raised a surprised eyebrow. _All this fuss over_ that_?_ "I won't ask what else it means, but how did Wu Fei use it?" Quatre was, to say the least, stumped when his love actually started to go red. _I don't think I've ever seen him blush before, not this obvious…._ He was still staring at him when approaching footsteps could be heard. Preparing to round on Wu Fei, determined to find out what the word meant, Quatre came around the bar to face the kitchen entrance. 

And lost his voice when Heero came in. A shirtless Heero, sweating from spending most of the morning in the humid forest. 

Ruthlessly suppressing a smirk, Heero walked around the reddening blond. He went straight to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. He also grabbed a tangerine before the door closed, and made his way to the bar. Setting the bottle down, he started peeling his breakfast. Careful not to look at the other two until he heard Quatre sit down. 

Settling himself on the nearest barstool, he turned to face his friends while peeling the slices apart. He looked to Quatre, who was decidedly avoiding his gaze; still red too. Looking at Trowa, he noticed the russet was also slightly blushing, but was at least meeting his gaze. Heero raised an eyebrow, pointedly looking at the redness in his cheeks. 

Trowa shook his head slightly, flicking his eyes towards Quatre, before speaking. "We thought you were Wu Fei." He took note that Heero was, though flushed from the heat outside and the sudden coolness in the house, looking much better than the previous evening. The exhaustion wasn't evident in his every move any longer, and his eyes were clear again. 

"Oh?" he knew what Trowa was doing, and gave him a reassuring, if small, smile. He started in on his tangerine once he received a nod in return. He was fine, and though grateful for Trowa's concern, he was glad he didn't make a production about it. Not that that was something Trowa would do. More along the lines of something Quatre would do; thankfully he seemed otherwise preoccupied. 

_Duo might…would have too, if he ever knew what had happened. …If he sticks around after he finds out…that's something else we need to talk about. Do we even tell him once we find him? If he's still a friend, can we honestly keep it from him? We did during the war, but the circumstances were somewhat different; we couldn't afford any strife between the five of us. It very well could drive him away now just like it might have then. But then, would whatever relationship with him be false if he doesn't know? We do have reasons for keeping it from him, but how do you justify doing so after a relationship is formed? How far is too far; how long should one wait? _

There's always the possibility that he doesn't want anything to do with us anymore. If so, then there's no need to worry about all this. …I really should talk to Wu Fei about this, he's dealt with this mess far longer than I have…maybe not the same exact situation, but the basics of it…. Heero sighed, finishing his breakfast without realizing it. _Doesn't help any that the same thoughts have been going around in circles in my mind since dawn…. _

~Wu Fei? Are you busy?~ 

~Not particularly, why? You sound like you're feeling better.~ 

~Much; I know I shouldn't let it go for so long, I'm sorry.~ 

Wu Fei could almost see Heero blushing at this. _~As am I. I should have realized how long it had been as well. Have you showered yet?~_

He was grateful for the change of subject, and a little miffed that Wu Fei had done it to avoid any argument about who was to blame. _~Not yet. Just came in a few minutes ago. Decided I should eat something first. …And it was hot out there.~ _

~Aa.~ Heero could hear Wu Fei's amusement, and imagined the smile he'd have. _~Well, Quatre has something he needs to tell you, so you might want to take care of that before you shower.~ _

~Right. Um, any reason that Quatre would be waiting for you to come in here?~ 

~Not that I'm aware of.~ 

~Alright.~ 

Opening his water bottle, Heero looked over to Quatre. Relieved to see that he seemed to have calmed down, Heero decided it should be safe to draw his attention again. "Quatre?" 

Looking up when he heard his name, Quatre kept his eyes focused on Heero's face. "Yes?" 

"Wu Fei said you had something you needed to tell me before I go shower. What is it?" He saw Quatre's eyes widen before he let his head fall onto the wooden table. Heero was taken aback; that was certainly _not_ the response he'd expected. 

Trowa shook his head at his boyfriend's antics before hiding a smirk at Heero's obvious astonishment. Lowering his cup once he had control again, Trowa looked over at Heero. "New orders from Une, the e-mail should still be up on Quatre's laptop. It's on the coffee table in the living room." 

Heero, his gaze still on a now muttering Quatre, nodded his acknowledgment before cleaning up his mess and going to the living room. _What could be bad enough to have Quatre in_ that _kind of mood? I'm_ sure _some of those were curses…._

Kneeling on the floor in front of the laptop, still where Wu Fei had left it, Heero dissolved the screensaver, and read. It was a short message, as was typical with Une. Short and to the point even with a secure account. He could suddenly sympathize with the blond, and wondered what Quatre had done to Wu Fei to leave it up to him to pass the message along. 

_At least it's on Une's orders. It says nothing about requests. …But then, she might be concerned one or more of us would decline._ Heero snorted at this thought. _Yeah right, like she'd let us. Nothing to do but wait. That bit about Duo…guess she's had no luck hunting him down this time either. …She never let us know if there was a voice match; something to ask her about after the briefing. Not something she'd divulge in an e-mail either._

So deep in thought, Heero didn't notice the pair and a half of eyes on him; even so, they didn't take chances and linger for too long. Amused and concerned emerald, and apprehensive hazel-green. Even after they'd left, he continued to just sit and stare at the screen, his thoughts once again running rapid. 

* * *

_Reception to be held at the Peacecraft Manor in three days.   
High profiles will be in attendance. Preventers   
will be providing security. Report to H.Q. at 0800 tomorrow,   
all four of you. Full briefing will be given then.   
Any news on Maxwell would be welcome. _

**Une**

* * *

  
  


To Be Continued…. 


	6. Hidden Secrets 6

**Hidden Secrets   
Part Six **

By: Valandra 

  


A/N: Ok, I've gotten a few requests for notification of when I update. If you would like to know, either say so in your review, or e-mail me with your request. I had actually meant to ask this in chapter 5, but forgot until after it was posted. ^_^; Oops. 

Haha, I did it!!!! I kept my promise Mako-chan! Honestly thought about ending this chapter sooner, but Krystal wouldn't let me. Wonder why…. ^_^ Hehehe.   
~*snorts* Hey, she asked for it, so I delivered. He's in this chapter more because of it. *grins* This is what happens when I'm provoked~   
Er, don't mind the muse. ^_^; Moving on…. 

LL. Mackenzie- *grins* Hope you had fun on vacation. Thank you for letting me know you changed your name; I'd not realized you were signed in with a different name, sorry. ^_^ I find myself looking forward to your reviews. 

Niambi Nataro- *blushes* Well, whether you meant to or not, I'm honored. I hope you're enjoying the rest of the story. ^_^ 

Everybody else, thank you _all_ for your reviews and encouragement. 

Again, many thanks to Zorra for not only helping me with certain points of this chapter, but also for giving ideas and inspiring the scenes towards and to the end of it. And for betaing it, can't forget that. 

Key:   
Thoughts are in (_Italics_)   
Telepathy talk is in (_~_)   
Normal talk is in ("") 

* * *

  


Wu Fei, still smiling, settled down to meditate. Once Heero was done with the e-mail, he'd take his shower, giving Wu Fei some more alone time. While meditating earlier, he'd felt a pull of something, but had yet to figure it out. He felt that with a little more time he'd find it; or actually, that it would find him. 

With a Frankincense inscent burning on the windowsill to his left, Wu Fei relaxed and, taking a deep, calming breath, closed his eyes. Not even a minute afterwards he again felt the pulling. Letting himself be lead, Wu Fei found himself in a dreamlike state; reminiscent of the astral plane. But he knew it was neither; not that he knew _what_ it actually was. 

The area around him was hazy, but quickly taking shape. One figure in front of him, and one on each side of him. He could sense another behind him. The land was dirt and rock, though trees could be seen further down the path. Taking all this in in seconds, Wu Fei quickly realized he too was taking solid form, but not his own. 

Obviously taller, he knew he was at least over six-feet. His posture was defensive, and he could see the skin of his arm was not its usual milky-caramel, but a sun-kissed tan. Glancing around, he found that those around him were armed. Also, when he moved his head, he felt his hair brush along his back. Focusing on that for a moment, though not forgetting about those around him, he found that his hair was up in a high ponytail that reached past his lower-back. 

_A vision? But of what; past, present, or future. And of who?_ His thoughts broke off as a shot rang through the air, accompanied by further burning in his left thigh. Surprised, he realized that this bullet had passed through cleanly, just as the one before. _The first must have happened before I "arrived."_ Eyes narrowed, he analyzed those around him, noting who held what weapon-wise. 

His anger quickly squelched the horror he felt when he saw the whip held in front of him. _Made of dragon skin. Stolen too, from the sense of it; nowhere near as powerful as it could be. Seems to be the only "enchanted" weapon here though, and all four are human. I wonder if the fool realizes what he has; not that it matters, he shall suffer for it nonetheless._

Still calm, he could _feel_ it when the one behind him raised his gun, preparing to fire again. Closing his eyes (giving only a fleeting thought to what color they might now be), it was as if time had slowed. Senses keen, he moved to his right as the trigger was pulled, the bullet missing. Mid-motion, his right hand when behind his back, underneath the loose hair, and felt himself, for lack of better words, cast a spell. Though he was this person in the vision, he didn't have access to the other's thoughts, knowledge, or memories. Through his own knowledge, he knew it to be a summoning; though of what, he had to wait to find out. 

It was quick, nothing flashy or showy, nothing hampering. What felt like a cool, solid, if light, staff was in his grip once the summoning was complete. Bringing it in front of him even as he was moving towards the shooter, Wu Fei saw that it was like the shadows themselves. No definite stable form could be seen, yet it was undeniably solid in his grip. 

Still dodging the bullets with inhuman grace, Wu Fei smirked when the man threw the gun away and brought his nun chuck up in a defensive position. _Planning to catch the staff; he can see I plan to bring it down upon him._ Certain that his host was also aware of what the human was doing, he was mildly confused when he gave no indication of changing attack strategies. He also couldn't help but notice that the other three were doing nothing but watching. _Probably expecting their partner to be able to handle what appears to be an amateur._

He was right in suspecting the warrior (he had no other idea what to call the being he portrayed in this vision; host seemed to distasteful) planned to bring the staff down upon the shooter. The staff was directly over the man's head, but he'd brought his 'chuck to stop it a good foot from impact. Wu Fei could feel himself smirking, locking eyes with the man. Something the human saw…disturbed him, from the emotions slipping into his eyes. 

Wu Fei felt a release of magic, again from the warrior; a touch elemental was all Wu Fei could determine. A flash of black and violet came from the staff's tip, a flame-like substance of the same colors traveled down about half a foot, before growing out of the staff, downwards, behind the man. Never removing his eyes from the man, Wu Fei could see the somewhat solid flame curving and become slender, as if in slow motion, in his peripheral vision. 

There was about two and a half feet between Wu Fei and the man. When the semi-solid flame had finished growing, its tip was a quarter foot away from Wu Fei's chest. It had started to curve just past the man's neck region, and passed through the opening between the his ribcage to complete itself. _Just below the heart._

Eyes narrowing, the warrior slowly dragged the staff off the nun chuck, down to the man's side. The staff's flame-blade twisted where it was (the only blood forthcoming was that streaming from the man's mouth). The warrior then pulled the staff to his left, away from the man's side; the blade easily followed. Pushing the blade back to its original position, the warrior angled the staff down a few degrees. Tilting his head in an almost child-like manner, the warrior again pulled the staff away, bringing the blade with it. 

Wu Fei watched as the piece of triangular flesh just carved from the man easily fell to the ground. There was no blood from the wound, nor smeared on the small, if long, body piece. The man fell soon after, towards Wu Fei. Moving out of the body's way, Wu Fei was mildly disturbed by what he saw. He also got the feeling the warrior wasn't done with the man yet. 

The blade, reminiscent of a scythe, withdrew back into the staff upon the warriors wishes. It didn't dissipate though. Traveling to the staff's bottom, it reformed into a long, narrow blade, like that of a naginata. One step brought him back to the fallen man's side; he could feel indifference coming across the warrior's face. Looking down on the fallen man, he quickly brought the staff up and then down through the back of the man's skull. 

Looking back up to his other assailants, the warrior turned to face them, twisting the slightly curved blade where it still rested in flesh and bone. His demeanor that of one assessing those before him, the warrior appeared to be leaning against the staff without a care. 

The three were obviously pissed, and hid their fear beneath it. All were in front of him, but the two were still off to his sides; the one directly in front of him had his whip posed to strike. The one to the right had three stars in one hand, and a couple darts in the other. Off to the left, a dagger in each hand, ready to attack. 

_Well, this'll be interesting,_ Wu Fei thought, wondering what the warrior planned to do now. 

Slowly bringing the staff up, aligning it at an angle in front of himself, the warrior shifted into a defensive position. Drawing the energy back into the staff once more, he divided it among the ends. This time a swallow was formed. A shallow curve, almost a foot and a half in length, the blades were half a foot wide, but hollow. Its edges sharp, one curved one way while it's opposite the other. 

Again taking in all three, moving just his eyes, the warrior chose his next target. Subtly shifting towards the right, the human's didn't realize his intentions until he'd started off. Charging headlong at the one with projectiles may seem a bit foolhardy, but not as much as turning your back on one. 

And the man didn't hesitate to use them either. His confidence didn't waver until his first onslaught was caught in the warrior's swallow, his pace increasing. Wu Fei heard the man hiss "Shit!" before backpedaling, pulling out more stars and darts. Eyes narrowing, the man changed direction in his retreat, a smirk forming once the warrior shifted to compensate. 

Almost upon the man, this shift was seen as his only opening. Changing his pattern, he caught the warrior off guard. Wu Fei felt his own eyes narrow, calculating. Bringing the swallow to bear, he caught the two darts, but was unable to block the star; not that he tried. In blocking the darts, he managed to move most of his arm out of the way, but one of the star's legs still dug into his flesh. It didn't slow him down, nor drive him off his advance as the human had hopped. 

Just a couple feet away from the man, aware that the dagger wielder was advancing on him, the warrior thrust the swallow forward, digging it into the man's chest. Pulling the staff down, thereby thrusting the swallow blade (curved upright) up, the warrior caught the man's eyes. Crouching slightly, the warrior wrenched the swallow from the man's chest, his heart cradled in the hollow blade. As soon as the blade was free, he swept his leg out, knocking the man from his feet to fall backwards. 

As with the previous man, there was no blood. 

Rising quickly, shifting the energy in the staff as he rose and turned (the man's heart dropping to the ground beside the warriors feet), the swallow gave way to a glaive, the curved blade once more on the top. Up and posed sooner than humanly possible, the warrior was ready for the charging human. The human however, was not ready for the warrior. He had no time to register what happened before the blade met and passed through his throat. 

Slicing the glaive through the air, it caught most of the man's neck. Pass completed, the staff rested between the warrior's arm and side. Bringing the staff's bottom up, a quick jab to the dead human's chest gave the body the momentum it needed to fall backwards. The impact was all the jolt the head needed to come completely off the neck's remains. 

Again, there was no blood. 

Slowly turning to face the final human, Wu Fei couldn't help but wonder what else the warrior had planned. He didn't seem too keen on delivering the same death to his opponents. _Won't be able to get too close, the man obviously knows how to use that whip._

A smirk slowly formed on the warrior's face as he drew the energy back into the staff. This time though, he didn't immediately reform it into another blade. Running at the human straight on, he positioned the staff as one would for a pole jump. The human understandably looked incredulous, but no less determined to kill his opponent. 

Brining one hand up to his chest, Wu Fei felt his hand briefly wrap around a small roundish object hanging from his neck. Lips moving briefly, Wu Fei was unable to hear what the warrior whispered, before the hand moved back to the staff. 

Arm drawn back, ready to strike, the human hesitated when he saw a glow from the warrior's chest. His eyes quickly widened in horror as his own whip rose without his prompting, and wrapped itself around him. Efficiently binding his arms to his side. Feeling the other looming over him, he quickly looked up. 

Wu Fei could sympathize with the man; he too was in shock. _That…that was dragon magic…how? I know this warrior isn't a dragon…. …That was a dragon charm! That's how he was able to manipulate the whip, by calling on what little essence was left in the skin, and linking it to his charm. But how did he get a charm; and what type is it? One so powerful means he must be on high terms with the dragon clans…._

Locking eyes with the final human, the warrior concentrated on the whip again, drawing its tip to wind around the man one last time. Curling around the human's neck, the dragon skin whip seemed almost enthusiastic in tightening itself both at the base of the human's neck, and just below his chin. The human tried to struggle, but the whip would not release its hold on its "master." 

Once the collapsed man stopped struggling, his face purplish-blue, and his spirit gone, the warrior knelt at his side. Carefully unwinding the whip, he carried it a short distance from the fallen humans. Laying it out on the ground before him, the warrior again knelt. A strong wind came, and he felt his hair flow along with it. Out of the corner of his eye, Wu Fei caught a glimpse of it, honey-garnet, before there was a bright flash…. 

Wu Fei was drawn from his vision by firm hands on his shoulders, and an insistent voice in his mind. 

_~Wu Fei! …Finally, are you alright?~_

Looking up, he saw Heero leaning over him, worry clearly visible in his expression. "H-Heero…." His voice hitched, throat dry and mouth feeling like it was cotton filled. 

Heero helped him stand up, and Wu Fei noticed his inscent had long since burned out; the sun was also already starting its decent. "How long?" 

"You've been sitting there for most of the day. Trowa's cooking dinner right now, I came up to see if you were finished yet. You didn't respond when I called out to you, and then you had a pained look…are you ok?" 

"Yes, I believe so; if a little parched." Wu Fei said, nodding towards the door. Heero's gaze lasted a moment longer before he too nodded and lead the way downstairs. 

"About Une's e-mail," Heero started. 

"Oh yeah. You didn't…." Wu Fei said, startled out of his thoughts. He'd forgotten about the e-mail in light of his vision. 

"No. I think it might actually be useful." 

"Oh? How's that?" _Heero, not dreading a meeting with Relena? Actually, in a way, looking forward to it? Now this_ is _odd._

Heero shook his head. "Une hasn't had any luck finding Duo again, and we're not getting anywhere either. Relena has contacts and influences that neither Une nor we have access to. She might be able to help us find him." 

"That…makes sense, actually. But do you really think she'd be willing to help us?" Wu Fei asked as they entered the kitchen. 

Quatre, who was setting the table, looked up as they entered. He gave Wu Fei a short, calculating look that he almost missed, before speaking up. "You're talking about Heero's idea for Relena?" 

Wu Fei nodded, giving him an enquiring looking. 

"He's not told us how he plans on getting her to help either." Trowa answered instead, coming up behind the blond with two bowls. 

"Like that would really be a problem. All he'd have to do is ask," Wu Fei said, striving for neutrality. 

"I'm not so sure though. I mean, yes, she's…smitten with Heero," Quatre avoided the other's eyes. "But how does she feel about Duo? What we're planning to ask will be a lot of trouble, and there's the risk on how it could reflect on her character. Or rumors that could start if the press catches wind that she's hunting somebody that's effectively avoiding the Preventers. And _that_ would lead to an all new set of troubles." 

"I'm not really sure how well they got along during the war. They weren't really in the same place at the same time, though on the few occasions I did see them together, Duo was generally polite, if a bit…less manic. And Relena would be focused elsewhere," Heero spoke up. 

"Well, she never really showed how she felt about him, that I'm aware of. They did seem to never be around at the same time." Trowa added, bringing a tray with the main dish. He motioned for the others to sit. 

After grabbing a water bottle from the refrigerator, Wu Fei took his seat at the table as well. Once everybody was served, the silence remained. Everybody thinking on the different points of the discussion. 

By the end of the meal, it was decided that they didn't really have anything to loose if Heero asked Relena for help. Especially since it was his own idea to begin with. 

**** 

At 0800 (8 A.M.) the next day, all four boys found themselves once more in Une's office. Mission briefing summarized, the four would be heading security measures for the reception. Leaving this evening, they would reach the manor around mid-morning. 

Once there, they would check the current security and determine what changes were needed, and set those changes in motion before the reception. Relena would point out which rooms would be used, and the outside area designated for the reception. They would then determine how many Preventers would be needed in which areas. 

They would also decide who to assign to those requesting personal protection. Surprisingly enough, Relena had not put in a request for one; or for any specified Preventers either. 

The reason all four of them were being sent to this reception was because of an assassination threat. True, something to be expected at an event like this; but this group has been linked to the group of assassins the five of them had already dealt with. Apparently, this new group was the ringleader. Smaller, but no less pissed at what happened to their comrades. And determined to carve out their revenge. 

In their threat, they claimed ownership of a mobile suit. 

As Relena refuses to allow any of the Preventer's mobile suits to reside over the reception, a group would be waiting on stand-by at the space port. A good twenty miles from the manor, they would have the closest section closed off for Preventer's use. Scouts would be posted every five miles from the manor to the port, expected to report in upon sighting. 

After the briefing, Une questioned them about their hunt for Maxwell. Informing her that they too were having no luck, Heero decided now would be a good time to ask about the voice match. 

"Commander, was there a voice match with Duo and the anonymous caller?" 

Une sighed, surprising the boys a bit. "No, there wasn't. I had a recording of Maxwell from when he called in to confirm his arrival for that last mission, but the agent said it wasn't the same. 

"When asked what was different, he had a bit of trouble. The caller sounded…light, harmonious was how he put it in the end." 

"That's what's in the report, you're welcome to it if you'd like. Its certainly raised my curiosity about who killed the four…." 

Wu Fei was silent. He'd yet to mention his vision to Heero; he was not about to speak up about it right now. He'd realized the four human's in his vision had been the targets before the second body had hit the ground. The news that the voice match had been a failure did not surprise him. For one thing, the warrior had been too tall to be Duo, never mind the fact that Duo's a human, and the warrior was definitely a Mystic. 

Dismissed, the four returned to the Winner home they'd been staying at, quickly packing what they'd need. Drawing up lists, personnel profiles from both the Peacecraft and Preventer's employee listings, something to start going over now and during the trip. 

Arrangements made, the live in servants would come by every other day to keep the house clean for their return. They left late afternoon after eating an early dinner, and arrived mid-morning as planned. 

**** 

Paragon greeted us at the door, and instructed a few others behind him to bring in our bags and things. He then lead us to the dining room, where he claimed Miss Relena (and a light brunch) was waiting. 

Relena was already seated at the head of the table, Dorothy to her right, and a young, light toned man with long, black hair to her left. All four former pilots scrutinized the unknown, though none were obvious about it. 

He was young, probably around their age, with his hair in a _high_ ponytail. It was on the top of his head, thick rubber bands and what looked like a leather tie keeping it in place. He had thick, messy bangs, long enough to cover his eyes if he angled his head enough. There was a quarter of an inch thick braid to the left of his face, falling just beside the edge of his eye. It fell beneath the table, so like the rest of his hair, true length was undetermined. As was his height. 

Another thing that caught the ex-pilot's eyes was the adornment on the young man's throat. It looked like a gothic type cross: black with dozens of red gems covering it. Each gem was surrounded by an almost black shade of sterling silver paper-thin cords that leafed around the cross like vines. The ordainment was about the length of one's finger, and hung from a black chocker chain, resting in the hallow of the youth's neck. 

All three occupants looked up at their entrance, and Relena greeted them with a large smile. "I'm so glad you all made it here on time. Please," she stood slightly, and gestured towards the empty chairs. "Join us, there's plenty. I'm sure you're hungry." Her gaze lingered on Heero at the end, and Trowa noticed the young man seated at the table was watching Relena, and bit his lip at this. 

Wu Fei took a seat next to Dorothy, knowing Heero wasn't willing to be even that close to Relena, and that Quatre would be more comfortable on the other side of the table. Besides, he'd be better able to observe the stranger from this side. 

As if feeling his gaze, the young man looked up and caught his stare. _Brown-green eyes,_ Wu Fei thought, somewhat taken aback, though not sure why. He snapped out of it once the young man smiled at him, and he heard Relena's voice calling out the former pilot's names. 

"…Is Yuy Heero; and Chang Wu Fei is the one next to him." Gesturing towards the young man, "And this is Sil, my personal body guard. And I'm sure you remember Dorothy." Smiling sweetly, she again took her seat and started on her brunch. 

Heero looked like he'd swallowed something whole. "Personal…bodyguard? Since when do you have a personal bodyguard, Relena?" 

Relena looked mildly surprised, before she smiled sweetly and blushed lightly. "Well, really, he's been protecting me since during the war. But it wasn't really made official until just after the war." 

Trowa seemed to be the only one to notice that Sil looked like he was bighting his cheek. Trowa had opted to sit next to the young man, leaving Quatre to the one next to him, across from Heero. 

"Really now, Yuy. Haven't you watched the news in the past two years? It's fairly common knowledge that Sil works for Miss Relena." Dorothy smirked. "They took great pleasure in digging for anything on him, and his 'relationship' with her. They were extremely curious why a certain blue-eyed solider hadn't taken the job." 

"Indeed. Thankfully, they've stopped with the insinuations that there's something between us. That was quite tedious, don't you think Sil?" Relena added. "Nothing worse than unfounded insinuations." She focused on her food, though her eyes did flicker towards Heero. 

Sil coughed, though Wu Fei thought it looked more like he was chocking. "Well, I'm sure you four are tired from traveling, but anxious to get started. Why don't I show you to your rooms, and point out the appointed areas for the reception on the way?" 

"That sounds excellent, thank you Mr. Sil." Quatre spoke up, the others followed his lead and rose. 

Sil plainly grimaced at this, "Please, Mr. Winner, call me Sil." He gave Quatre a small, weary smile. 

Quatre smirked and nodded, "So long as you stay on a first name basis with the rest of us as well." He got a nod and a slightly wider smile in return. 

Once standing, Wu Fei saw that Sil's braid stopped mid-chest, though the rest of his hair reached mid-thigh in it's ponytail. He also realized the man was a couple inches taller than him. That put him at about Heero's height, but still shorter than Quatre (by about an inch and a half) and Trowa (by at least a head). 

Wu Fei found his thoughts wondering as he observed Sil; he knew that Quatre was making small talk with him as the appointed areas where made known, but he didn't really hear what the two were saying. He caught the annoyed looks Heero was sending his way, and tried to focus his thoughts. 

_~What's gotten into you?~ _

~I could ask you the same thing. What was with the face when Relena called him her "personal bodyguard"?~ 

~The people made Relena their symbol of peace; the two therefore go hand in hand. But we've never heard anything about this Sil person; I…don't trust him.~ 

~Didn't much care for the insinuations Relena was speaking of. She gets upset that the public think there's something between herself and her "personal bodyguard," yet believes there to be nothing wrong in following you around.~ 

~…You're having second thoughts about asking for her help.~ 

~The thought has crossed my mind. She's obviously still attracted to you, even if she's stopped her stalking…as far as we know. Asking favors may start something up again….~ 

~Stop worrying Wu Fei. Either she'll help or she won't. She can't afford to take up her old stalker habits, that would be bad for her public image. I have no intention of giving the impression that she has a chance at a relationship with me; no leading on, no misunderstandings.~ 

~…Just don't threaten to kill her. I think that'd sooner restart everything then simply "miss-leading" her.~ 

Heero knew Wu Fei was changing the subject, trying to make light of it, but that he really was worried. Worried about what Relena might do, worried that it might actually affect their relationship. They'd been together for over two years, and Heero had no intention of changing that. He knew it was…natural for Wu Fei to be worried, but felt relieved that though he acknowledged his worry, he wasn't letting it get out of hand. 

"That's everywhere inside that the guests will be allowed. The only time they should be outside would be upon arrival and departure. The inside garden is where Relena plans on delivering her speech towards the end of the reception." 

"A good idea, though I'm sure she'd prefer it to be outside," Quatre pointed out. 

Sil nodded, "Yes, originally, she wanted to have it in the garden in the back. But by the time she plans on giving the speech, the sun will already be setting. While that may be a nice backdrop, with this kind of gathering, it's unrealistic. We've already had to pull in Preventers for the reception, and though that's normal with something so big, there's also the treat to consider as well." 

Trowa nodded from Quatre's other side, "Very sensible." 

"Indeed. A good thing Relena has you here to point these things out to her," Wu Fei added, remembering how foolish the girl could act at times in the past. 

Though his expression didn't change, Sil's demeanor became…colder. "Actually, that was how Relena herself put it. She knew it was unrealistic, but that doesn't mean she can't prefer it to be held outside." He had turned to look at Wu Fei once he started speaking. Once finished, he turned forward again, almost giving the impression of having dismissed him. 

Quatre refrained from biting his lip though, and kept his uncertainty from his face. Trowa remained indifferent, if a little surprised by Sil's reaction. Wu Fei was taken aback by the reaction as well as mildly offended. Heero also remained indifferent, though inside was annoyed at Sil. 

"Your rooms are down this hall, your luggage is already there. Your rooms are connected, for your connivance, upon Dorothy's suggestion. Quatre, Trowa, this one is yours. Heero and Wu Fei," he pointed further down the hall to a door on the same wall, "that leads to your room. Both have their own bathrooms, so you don't have to worry about getting lost searching for one. 

"Dorothy and Relena each have a connecting room on the floor above us. We passed the stairs a few minutes ago. Dorothy's is at the end of the hall, Relena's right next to it. My room is on the same floor, first door to the left after the stairs. You've each been here before at some point, not many changes have been made since then. If you have trouble finding something or body, just ask one of the staff." 

"Thank you for your help Sil, we appreciate it. Since you're Relena's personal bodyguard, does that make you head of security as well?" Quatre asked, wanting to make sure he was right. 

"Eh, yes, I suppose it does." 

Heero raised an eyebrow, "You suppose? You don't know?" 

Sil turned to face him, tilting his head to the right, causing his braid to fall between his eyes. "I've never really been called that before. There isn't a regular security division here like you seem to be thinking. Normally there's the security guard at the gate, and that's about it as far as personnel. If she doesn't need to make an appearance, Relena works here, using the vid-phone for conferences when possible rather than traveling. 

"When she does put in public appearances, Dorothy and I both share in the duties of keeping Relena safe. However, Dorothy's not an "official" bodyguard, so the impression given is that I am watching over the both of them, instead of the two of us over Relena. That may seem foolish to you, but perhaps it's all that is needed." 

"Well said Sil," Dorothy came up from behind the group, applauding. "Yes, he truly is _that_ good, so get over yourself," she didn't make it clear who she was speaking to, since she was talking about Sil, but also held his eyes. 

"We realized we'd forgotten to give you a copy of the guest list. Since Sil was taking so long to come back, I thought I'd see if there was a problem and bring the list," she passed a manila folder to Heero, looking the group over before giving Sil an expectant look. 

Nodding, Sil turned his attention back to the group, but focused on Quatre. "If there's something you need to discuss with me, please do so before the day of the reception. It's being held towards the evening, I know, but I'm going to be busy and unreachable. Rather not have any problems because of that," he smiled, a bit amused mixed with almost embarrassment. 

Quatre grinned, "Of course. We should have any questions or requests figured out by this evening." 

"Great, let me know if I'm needed or you need anything else. I'll see you all later then." Nodding to the group, Sil and Dorothy left, headed back towards the dinning area. 

Deciding to check out their rooms and get situated before getting to work, the four split up. Only after exploring did they realize what Sil had meant by giving them connected rooms. The rooms he pointed out where just that; two connected rooms. 

Preoccupied with this and then their preparations, they didn't notice the staff member bringing a couple of duffle bags into the room across the hall from theirs. 

**** 

The four boys had dinner in their rooms while sending Une the information she'd need to provide them with what they needed. After dinner they (really just Quatre and Trowa) found Sil, conferred with him their plans, confirmed the protection requests, and the times and locations that everything would be taking place. 

Preventers had shown up a couple hours after the ex-pilots; Wu Fei and Heero were overseeing their placement, equipment setup and the such. 

Relena and Dorothy stayed out of the way, going over plans and re-checking Relena's speech. Once Quatre and Trowa were finished with him, Sil sought the two out and filled them in on what was happening. None of them turned in until well after midnight, most with plans of being up around nine. 

**** 

"Heero," exasperated, Quatre decided to give it one more try before giving up. "He told us he had things to do today and would be unreachable. He _told_ us that we wouldn't be able to find him, so why the _hell_ are you _still_ trying?!" 

Ok, so he was beyond exasperated. Not that Trowa could blame him, even though he was fighting down his own laughter at the scene. Wu Fei wasn't helping much either, but he was on Heero's side and all for finding Sil too. 

"Is there a problem already? Geeze, can't do anything right without me, can you." 

Expressions ranging from stunned to staggered, the four turned to find one Duo Maxwell leaning against the entertainment room's entrance. Relena and Dorothy were behind him, both smiling, though Dorothy's was more akin to a smirk. 

"D-Duo! When'd you get here? Where have you been?!" Quatre was the first to regain his senses. 

His amusement was clear in both his expression and voice, "This morning, after everybody had gone to bed. Had to wake Paragon up just to find out where I was staying." 

He paused for a moment before his expression grew a little more serious. "I found out about the threat. This is technically the same mission I agreed to complete, and I refuse to be accused of lying on a _technically_." The last part came out almost bitter. 

"Oh, isn't that _so noble_, Heero?" Relena beamed. A sparkle of admiration or infatuation twinkling in her eyes. Duo wasn't sure of which or if it was both, and he didn't care. He just wanted to be done with it and go back home. 

Wu Fei was certain she would have latched onto Heero's arm had he not been behind Quatre and Trowa. Quatre silently laughed as he glanced behind him, a slight blush of embarrassment on Heero's cheeks, earning himself a glare from said boy that could melt ice. 

Duo refrained from rolling his eyes. His words, though sweetly delivered, sounded strained. "The five of us have been requested to observation point seven. They think they've apprehended one of the group, and want us to investigate. They don't have enough people with the right training to do so without leaving the outpost shorthanded. 

"So go get what you need, we're suppose to be headed there already." 

"Why didn't you tell us sooner Maxwell," Wu Fei demanded even as they left the room. 

"Because the lot of you kept moving all around the damn house. How the hell was I suppose to know where you were?" he snapped back, breaking off from the group to wait for them in the jeep. 

"Yes, you did make it quite difficult for us to find you. Just what _where_ you all doing?" Dorothy drew their attention away from Duo's exit. 

None of the boys answered, either too embarrassed by their search or too stunned by Duo's last words. 

**** 

The trip was quiet and uneventful. The boys kept an eye out for anything suspicious, but didn't see anything. Heero was driving, Wu Fei in shotgun, Trowa and Quatre in the seats behind them. Duo was sitting precariously on the spare tire that hung from the back of the jeep. His arms over his head gripping the railing above him for balance. Illegal yes, but as Preventers they'd get away with it; not that anybody really gave them a second glance. 

Once they reached the temporary outpost, observation point seven, Wu Fei and Quatre were led to where the prisoner was being held for interrogation. Trowa followed to make sure they weren't interrupted. Heero decided to inspect the outpost, and Duo went to check in with the outpost's commander and see if anything else had happened. 

An hour later and still no useful information from the captive. The only positive thing from this was that it was confirmed that he was a member of the…terrorist was the term being used. Trowa was still guarding the door, but from the inside now. 

Heero was quickly growing impatient. Turning to Duo, he said, "Stay here. No interruptions unless there's been a sighting." 

He watched as Duo turned his back on him and shrugged, then went to join the rest of the Preventers at the outpost. Heero frowned, but didn't follow. Instead he headed for the interrogation room, intent on wrapping this up. 

They got what they needed from the prisoner within the next hour. Getting Duo, they had the post's commander warn the other outposts about the time frame they'd been given. 

The five of them headed out immediately towards the residential area. One of the terrorists were to lay explosives in an apartment basement. Heero had the address memorized. Thanks to Quatre's "space heart," they knew he was telling the truth. 

The explosion would serve as a distraction, then they'd move in with the mobile suit. The man would have already infiltrated the building, but he wasn't to move for another forty-five minutes. They'd evacuate the building and surrounding area, directing everyone to the nearest Preventer's outpost. If the ex-pilots didn't apprehend the explosives carrier before this, the people would then be searched for the explosives. 

The nearest four outposts were sending as many personnel as they could to surround the general area at the complex, incase the suspect ran. The rest of the outposts were sending personnel to replace those sent to surround the complex. While more were being dragged from the manor to replace those. The mobile suit was to be the only attack on the manor, so doing so would be safe enough. Not that they'd lower their guard. 

**** 

"What the _hell_ were you thinking Heero, leaving the keys in the ignition!" Duo shouted at the boy ahead of him. 

The evacuation had gone smoothly enough, the basement checked out clean. And they had been correct in assuming the target would run. Unfortunately, they didn't realize this until he had already taken off in the jeep the boys had been using. The Preventers surrounding the area were notified of the situation, but the ex-pilots were still giving chase on foot. 

"Shut up and keep running," was the only response he got back. 

_Like it's my fault. 'Least he left off 'baka.'_

Wu Fei's cell phone went off; answering it didn't slow him down, "What!" 

"{The target's been apprehended. En route to a secure location.}" 

"Finally," Wu Fei breathed, coming to a stop. "They've got him," he told the others, not bothered in the lease by Heero's glare prior to his announcement. 

"{Sir, we've also been informed that the group went ahead and launched the mobile suit. Our team has intercepted it already, conveniently at the edges of the evacuated area.}" 

"Oh, quite convenient," Wu Fei muttered, looking around and listening. Neither hearing nor seeing any signs of battle near them, he curtly thanked the man and hung up. 

"The suit was launched regardless, and has been intercepted at the outskirts of the evacuated area." 

"Well, mission complete then," Duo's statement was given airily, but had a sense of finality to it that none of the others missed. 

"The terrorists have not been caught, the suit is still free. I wouldn't call that complete," came Heero's condescending comeback. 

"Two of the group have been caught, the suit will soon be in Preventer's custody. You will then be able to work from there back. Or are you afraid you won't be capable of this without me?" 

"Of course we can do this without you, baka! You're the one that came along of your own volition," Heero snapped back. 

Duo was silent for a moment, not looking at any of them. Quatre _knew_ that was the wrong thing for Heero to say, and he wondered if he even realized it yet. 

When Duo turned back to face them, a grim smile was forming on his face, "Then there's no problem with me leaving now." And he slowly started walking past them. 

Wu Fei was the first to react, grabbing Duo's shoulder as he passed him. Duo stopped, but paused a moment before looking Wu Fei in the eye, "Have something to add to that?" he briefly wondered what other insult or insinuation Wu Fei could possibly have to add. 

"Where are you going?" was all he asked. 

Duo again paused, or maybe just hesitated, before responding. "Back to where I came from." 

"Which is where?" Wu Fei asked, practically positive Duo wasn't talking about L2. _We searched the records, none of the people arriving there in the past month matched Duo's profile. And it would have been impossible for him to have gotten here from L2, he'd have had to have gone to a different port…._

Duo slowly smirked, his eyes not leaving Wu Fei's. "What's the matter Wu Fei, frustrated that I can actually outdo you in something?" 

Wu Fei frowned, reigning in his frustration and trying to be patient. "We just want to know where you're going so we can get in touch with you later." 

"Oh? Since when have you ever been concerned with staying in touch with people," came Duo's bland statement; he didn't sound like he much cared what the answer was. 

"We," he was referring to the four of them, "thought that the five of us were friends. If you wish to continue running from us, then so be it. Just tell us why you're hiding." 

What was left of Duo's smile was gone by now. "Friends? Yes, I thought we were too. When was the last time you tried to get in touch with me, excluding seven months ago?" 

Wu Fei was silent, and close to breaking eye contact when Duo continued speaking. The guilt the previous words caused only served to fuel his frustration as Duo continued. 

"Not very good at it, huh? How many others have you cut off? I mean, surly there were people from before the war…." 

Wu Fei cut him off, his frustration quickly leading to anger, "Shut up! Baka, all we wanted to know was how to get in touch with you. If you don't want anything to do with us, then fine, just say so! You're the one cutting _us_ off," he finished, trying vainly to get his anger under control. He closed his eyes briefly, opened them slowly and opened his mouth again. "There is nothing left for me from before the war. As far as I'm concerned, whatever existed from that time is inconsequential." 

Duo's eyes narrowed at this, but he still didn't break eye contact. "When was the last time you returned home Chang Wu Fei?" it came out slow and deliberate. 

That was it, Wu Fei snapped. He responded so quickly that none of the other ex-pilots saw it. They had heard what Duo had said, and expected something similar, but all were still surprised. Duo was on the ground instantly, blood leaking from his nose. He looked mildly surprised, reaching up to wipe away the blood. 

Wu Fei beat him to speaking, "My home prior to now is gone," he growled out, knowing Duo knew what had happened. He couldn't believe he'd ask such a thing, though the dawning realization of what he'd done to Duo was beginning to cool his anger. 

However, Duo acted before Wu Fei had a chance to apologize. As soon as the words left his mouth, Wu Fei felt his legs being swept out from beneath him. He fell backwards, but managed to turn enough to catch himself and get back on his feet at about the same time as Duo. 

Both seemed intent on pounding the other, neither looking to give up first. The other three had no idea how to stop it without getting dragged into the middle of it. Over the sounds of the brawl, Heero thought he heard something. Looking around the sky, he didn't see anything. Frowning, he looked back to the two brawling ex-pilots, to find Wu Fei being thrown somewhat close to him. Reacting quickly, he pulled his boyfriend up, but held him back. 

"That's enough, both of you! We still have a job to do," he directed more towards Wu Fei, since he knew he had no way of keeping Duo there with them. "You two are being immature, so just stop!" 

Looking over at Duo, who was standing, if hunched over slightly, Heero saw him nod in agreement. Only then did he release Wu Fei, and checked to make certain he was alright. Their attention focused on Wu Fei, the four missed the flash in Duo's eyes before he turned once more away from them and started walking. 

They'd been cutting through an alleyway when Wu Fei's cell went off, and hadn't left it during the brawl. Quatre and Trowa both looked over towards Duo, intent on asking if he was alright, when they saw him turn the corner. It was Trowa that first moved to go after him, but Quatre held him back. He'd seen more fights between Wu Fei and Duo than Trowa, and knew it was better to let him cool off first. 

Nodding slightly in agreement, Trowa turned back to Heero and Wu Fei. Quatre's gaze lingered on the corner Duo had taken, hopping that they _would_ be able to find him again. His attention snapped back to Heero once he heard him cursing. 

"What is it?" he asked, drawing Heero's gaze from the sky once more. 

"The suits have moved further into the area. And getting closer; I can hear the fighting." 

If he had anything else to say, it was cut off as a shadow passed over them, and a loud whistling became obvious to them all. Looking up, they could see…debris from a mobile suit. It was falling towards them, but wouldn't land till it passed them. They had only a moment to realize that before it hit one of the evacuated buildings. 

The moment of silence after the intense whistling and following collision was deafening. Quatre was the first to break it. Eyes wide, he grabbed at his chest in disbelief and pain. Moving his mouth, it took a bit of work to find his voice. Once he did, it came out as a scream. 

"_**D-Duo!**_" 

  
  


To Be Continued…. 


	7. Hidden Secrets 7a

**Hidden Secrets   
Part Seven **

  


By: Valandra 

  


A/N: First of all, I want to thank everybody for the wonderful reviews. I'd list 'em like I usually do, but it's late, and I got yelled at by Zorra for doing that in every chapter.   
~You just don't want to go hunt down names.~   
-_- Whatever. Leave me alone, I just finished explaining the entire YuGiOh Duel Monsters anime (what's been aired in the US anyways) to Zorra, I'm _tired_. Not that it wasn't fun, I got her addicted. Fanvids probably helped too. Oi, now I'm rambling, thanks a lot Krystal. 

Sorry for the delay. Everybody thank Angela Serenity for this. She did an awesome fanart of Sil (I've been bribed! *silly grin*), it's on both my site, in the fanart section. It's wonderful, just how Zorra and I both imagined him. It's also long, as asked Angela. Sorry it took so long, but you'll understand as you read; couldn't rush any of that. Also, I've broken it up into two parts, because of how long it is; this is done on Zorra's recomendation. 

I do not own the song _Yoake Mae- Heart of the Sword- Before Dawn._ I use the English version here, but I've only heard the Japanese song (don't know if there's an English version). Please look to the Key, as there's a new item there. 

Last note, I've added a link to my profile on ff.net, my homepages, gwu, and mm.org called Projects. I've got listed on it, for what I'm currently working on, and what I have planned to work on. I'll have a date at the top of the page for whenever it's been updated. 

**Key:**   
Thoughts are in (_Italics_)   
Telepathy talk is in (_~_)   
Normal talk is in ("")   
Espherian is in (//) 

* * *

  


The scream left his mouth as he rounded the corner Duo had turned down. In the back of his mind, Quatre knew the others were snapping out of their own stupor and were following him, but he had a good head-start on them. 

A few feet from the corner, Quatre looked up from consciously forcing his hand from his chest, only to freeze once more in shock. The building in front of him was still collapsing, but there was already debris littering the street and sidewalks from the suit piece's impact. 

It wasn't the destruction that stunned him. No, it was what he saw in the middle of said falling debris. 

  


_~Duo….~_ Trowa heard the staggered thought as he turned the corner ahead of the two Asians. Worried, he speed up, frowning when he saw that Quatre was just standing there. Turning his gaze from Quatre to what he was staring at, Trowa felt himself mirror Quatre's shock. 

Duo was standing in the middle of the fallen debris and settling dust, looking a little more battered then from what Wu Fei had caused him. Duo was facing the two, but had overly large, pleading eyes locked with Quatre's own stunned ones. 

Trowa suspected this was because of the dark green energy bubble surrounding Duo. _Obviously protecting him from the falling building,_ Trowa thought, as he saw a few small pieces of debris fall on the shield only to disintegrate upon impact. 

He heard the others coming up behind him and Quatre as the bubble disappeared, though he wasn't certain they'd seen it as well. 

Duo, eyes still locked on Quatre, took a faltering step forward before collapsing. Heero was the first at his side, seconds after he'd touched ground. Quatre seemed to still be in shock; Wu Fei didn't seem to be much better off 

Wu Fei snapped out of it on his own as Trowa moved in front of Quatre. As Heero lifted Duo up, intent on carrying him the rest of the way back since he wouldn't wake up, Wu Fei was looking almost wildly around the surrounding area. 

Focusing on Quatre, Trowa noticed that his eyes seemed dazed, as if he wasn't seeing what was in front of him. "Quatre?" Trowa tried gently, placing his hands on Quatre's shoulders. 

His voice seemed to be all that was needed to snap Quatre out of…whatever that had been. He caught Trowa's eyes in a searching gaze for a few minutes, before Wu Fei's actions caught his attention. He gave Trowa a reassuring smile before moving over to Wu Fei's side. Trowa let his gaze linger on Quatre a moment longer, but turned towards Heero after silently letting Quatre know he was listening. 

_~I'm fine Koi. That magic just…surprised me is all.~_

Trowa's tone gave the impression of nodding, _~I understand. Has Wu Fei had any luck in finding where the caster is?~_

Quatre hesitated for a moment. _~…No, he hasn't. He's getting very frustrated, damn near frantic.~_ Quatre frowned, gaze locked on Wu Fei. 

"Wu Fei, calm down. Getting so worked up won't help at all," Quatre tried reasonably. _Indeed, I'm sure it's throwing you off. Why are you so agitated? …Stupid question,_ Quatre thought at himself, recalling _all_ the previous events, including Wu Fei's fight with Duo. 

Looking over to Trowa and Heero, Quatre saw that Duo was still unconscious. "Come on Wu Fei, Duo's out cold. We need to get back to the manor. Let's not forget we still have a job to do." 

Wu Fei reluctantly agreed, drawing back the energies he'd put out during his search, leaving only a small portion on alert for the signature he'd felt during the collision. Trowa was the only one to realize he did, but didn't question him about it. 

"It doesn't look like anything hit his head. He's only got a few new bruises and cuts from the debris." Seeing Quatre's questioning gaze, Heero continued, his voice going monotonous. "…Shock from what he saw must have been too much, why he passed out," he looked to Trowa for confirmation of that. "Though he doesn't seem to be going _into_ shock…." 

Quatre could feel Heero's…near sorrow. Trowa could well imagine it, even without the conversion of Heero's speech. Wu Fei, attention back on the group once more, also knew what was going on inside Heero's head. And not just because he could actually hear his thoughts. 

_~It came out of nowhere, and he was likely distracted at the time too. With everything that's happened since we left the manor, it was just to much for him to handle. That doesn't mean anything solid.~_ Wu Fei tried to sooth his boyfriend, keeping his voice calm but firm. 

_~…Does this mean we get to tell him everything?~_ Heero's voice was quiet, but showed his concern, nervousness, worry, and hope better then even his eyes. 

Wu Fei had to close his eyes a moment, still following beside Heero (Quatre and Trowa were behind them); he took a steadying breath before responding. _~…It depends…on how much…what all he remembers, when he wakes up. If he remembers the bubble shield, then yes, we will. We won't explain just half, but everything; even if he does want nothing to do with us, we won't wrong him with half truths. But if he doesn't remember…then there's nothing we can do, other then continuing as we have been.~_

Heero was silent, staring ahead as the four continued walking towards the next outpost where they could get transportation back to the manor. Wu Fei knew Heero was chewing on something, but was beginning to believe he wouldn't say anything more on it. 

_~…I…don't know whether to hope that he does remember or not….~_ Heero tentatively spoke up once more. 

Wu Fei gave a small, near sad smile at that, and walked closer to Heero so he could brush shoulders with him. _~Neither do I, to be honest. Though, deep inside…I think I might be hoping that he does….~_

Heero gave him a side-long glance, a hesitant smile forming in response to Wu Fei's own. 

Behind them, Quatre and Trowa were sharing similar thoughts. They didn't spend too much time with those thoughts though, Trowa having said his piece, and Quatre trying to close out everybody's emotions. Trowa offered his silent support, but wouldn't touch Quatre, knowing it would only hamper his efforts, and open him up more. 

**** 

It took them about a quarter hour to get to the outpost, and from there half an hour back to the manor. Duo was unconscious through it all. 

Heero was once more carrying Duo, when they ran into Relena and Dorothy. They'd passed various Preventers once they'd reached the manor, both inside and out, busy getting the place ready. Relena and Dorothy were in a room that wasn't designated for the reception; it looked like a not-quite-extravagant sitting room, with couches and plush chairs in and around the center of the room. There were also some cabinets and a china hutch along the back wall of the room; this is were the two girls were hovering. 

Dorothy looked up at their entrance, Duo still in Heero's arms, Trowa and Quatre at his sides, and Wu Fei in front of him. "Oh, you're back. Everything go well?" Dorothy asked, drawing Relena's attention from her search in the china hutch's drawers. Neither seemed to notice Duo yet. 

Quatre nodded slightly, "The suit's been taken care of, and most of the members have been apprehended. We're as yet uncertain as to how many, if any, are still free." 

Relena smiled serenely at that, "That's wonderful. You've missed lunch, but Sandra can heat it back up for you." 

'The cook,' Dorothy mouthed to the four boys, rolling her eyes at Relena; not that she noticed. 

"Aa, thank you Relena, maybe later. We're in a bit of a hurry…." Quatre trailed off. He started to move of in the direction of the stairs, but quickly realized the others weren't moving. More specifically, Heero hadn't moved. 

Heero had his eyes narrowed, and had been looking surreptitiously around the room up-till now. "Where's Sil," he demanded, gaze fixed on the two girls, even with Wu Fei still in front of him. 

"Doing his job?" Dorothy asked sardonically, one eyebrow raised. "Where else? …Oh, you mean specifically?" at seeing Heero's eye twitch. "Well, can't help you there, he's off overseeing the preparations, couldn't tell you where exactly." 

"What are you searching for," Heero continued, seeing the mess of the china hutch's drawer. He wasn't certain he believed Dorothy. 

"Looking for the master key, or at least a spare to Sil's room. The three of us have a habit of locking our rooms when company is over, to prevent snooping," Relena explained. "But Sil apparently forgot to turn his music off before he left this morning. It's not loud enough to disturb the reception or speech, but we could hear it in our rooms and down the hall a ways. I'd rather not chance it being heard should the music pick up." 

"Wouldn't be so bad if we could actually understand the lyrics…." Dorothy muttered, but nobody commented on it. Relena had noticed Duo. 

"Oh my, is Duo alright?" she didn't give them a chance to respond beyond Quatre's nod. "Really now Heero, I appreciate your concern, but Sil truly _is_ capable of his job. You should be concentrating more on getting Duo upstairs to his room." She paused a moment, thinking. "It's across the hall from your rooms, I don't think you've been told that. I trust you can find the rooms again on your own?" 

Quatre nodded, knowing anything that came out of Heero or Wu Fei's mouth wouldn't be pleasant. "Yes, thank you Relena. Good luck with finding the key, we'll be back down once Duo's situated." 

"Of course, thank you." 

Quatre sent a look that left no room for argument at the other guys, demanding that they follow him to the stairs this time. As soon as they were out of the girls' sight, they could hear Relena giggling. Quatre felt two of the ones behind him stiffen, but nothing else. 

As they passed the staircase that lead to the next level, they could hear the faint echo of what they assumed to be Sil's music. It seemed to be on an instrumental piece, as those present with above average hearing couldn't pick up any lyrics. As they moved further into the hall, the music died down. They couldn't hear it once they reached Duo's door. 

Heero gently placed Duo on the bed after Quatre had pulled the covers down. Quatre decided to leave the covers at the foot of the bed, noting that Duo was stirring a bit. The boys shared feelings of disappointment when he didn't wake up. 

Trowa was the first to speak. "We should go see what Sandra has for us, we still have work to do." His soft-spoken words didn't so much shatter the silence as it gently drew the others out of their thoughts. 

The others nodded, but Quatre dropped himself in a plush chair near the bed as the others moved to the door. "Could you bring something back for me? I want to stay incase Duo wakes up," voice firm, he once more left no room for argument. 

Wu Fei and Heero nodded after a moment, passing Trowa on the way out. Trowa had a puzzled look in his eyes. _~Quatre?~ _

~It's nothing really, I just have a feeling that he's going to wake up soon is all.~ Quatre moved his gaze from Duo's resting form to look at Trowa. He gave his love a reassuring smile. _~Please be sure and eat something. And make certain Heero and Wu Fei do as well.~_

Trowa nodded before leaving, closing the door behind him. 

Quatre watched as he left, waiting until the door latched before returning his gaze to the sleeping youth, the soft smile slipping off. As he did this, Quatre ran the recent events through his mind, starting with Duo's reappearance. 

_There's no mistaking that bright spirit, it was definitely Duo. But…I've_ **never** _heard him snap like that before. He seemed just fine…until Wu Fei spoke…. He was…hurt, disappointed…maybe he's finally gotten tired of putting up with the shit Wu Fei and Heero give him._ Quatre sighed, _It's certainly taken him long enough; then again, at times during the war, he seemed to deserve it, if not to the degree that those two occasionally took it._

Quatre's thoughts were silent for a time, and he just sat looking at the braided youth. Taking in his slack features and dust covered appearance. He thought for a moment about at least cleaning Duo's face off, but decided he didn't want to risk being that close if Duo decided to wake up. 

_Then there's the fight in the alleyway. Wu Fei was being civil, controlled his tongue and temper. Duo definitely expected the worse when Wu Fei stopped him, so this probably threw him off balance. Still…. Not that Duo wasn't in his rights either, his questions were fair, if a bit cryptic. At least in the beginning. _

Even so, regardless of what Wu Fei's done, nothing warranted Duo bringing up L5. Quatre's eyes narrowed. _What were you thinking Duo? You know what happened, saw what condition Wu Fei was in during the war, after it had happened. Two years true, but something like that wouldn't just "fade." Yes, the hurt would recede, but it would still be there…quite obviously still is. What could possess you to do something like that Duo…?_

**** 

Relena sighed, "I give up, it's no where to be found. The music's not going to bother anybody, so it'll hold until Sil has a chance to go turn it off." 

Dorothy nodded from beside her, "Agreed. How forgetful of Sil though…something to tease him about later." She had a smile at that thought. 

Relena just chuckled and shook her head. She'd seen three of the pilots heading for the kitchen a few minutes ago, and decided she'd better let them know the shuttles were going to be an hour early. 

She gasped in surprise as a young man in a Preventer's uniform quickly rushed by her, coming from the direction of the stairs. He quickly turned around to face her. 

"My apologies ma'am. Have either of you seen Commander Heero Yuy or his companions?" 

Relena opened her mouth, but the response came from behind the youth. "What is going on?" came Heero's demand. 

The youth quickly spun on his heels. He was obviously ready to burst for whatever reason he was searching for Heero. He didn't start right off; whether he was waiting for Quatre, or some sign of acknowledgment from Heero was uncertain. 

"Well?" Wu Fei prompted. 

"Sirs! I was sent to inform you that the shuttles are arriving early--" he was cut off by Heero's nod. 

"Fine, we'll have to speed the preparations up. Inform the others that we'll be there shortly." The three started to move past the youth and two females, when the young man took a step back and placed himself once more in front of them. 

"That's not all sir," and judging by his tone, not what had him so…keyed up either. He continued at Heero's almost glare. "I was told you'd gone up to the next level, so I went up there," he waves vaguely at the stairs, "to look for you. You weren't in the halls, and I heard something on the next level up--" 

At that, Wu Fei muttered something about music, but the youth didn't let it deter him. 

"--so I went to investigate, thinking one of you would be there. It turned out to just be some music coming from an empty but locked room." Here he got a hard look from both Relena and Dorothy. "I was going to ignore it and continue to look for you, until I heard the singer. Sir," his eyes seemed to get bigger, "it was the same voice! From the call I got on your last mission, with the four assassins." He was, by now, out of breath. 

The three ex-pilots both had one thought going through their mind: _Sil?!_

Relena and Dorothy were both frowning, the hard look still in their eyes. Relena had half a mind to demand what was going on, but they (with the exception of the winded youth) were already at the stairs before she had her mouth opened. "Hold it right there!" The three froze. "I don't know what happened on this last mission, and I'm sure you don't intend to enlighten me on it. I also don't know how this apparently involves Sil. What I _do_ know is that the three of you are _not_ running off to break into Sil's room, when the preparations for the reception are not yet _complete_, and the shuttles are arriving _earlier_ then we're prepared for. Wherever Sil is, he's at least _doing_ his job. You were searching for him earlier, even though he warned you that you wouldn't be able to get in touch with him, and had no luck. Now would be no different, with the exception of putting this whole reception in danger." 

Heero glared at her, but she didn't back down. He didn't lighten it either, especially because he knew she was right. They didn't have that much time to dally around. But he had to get that CD, _At least, I hope it's a CD; if was just the radio…._ Well, they couldn't risk loosing it, regardless. Even if there was no investigation, Une'd have their hides if they didn't check this out. Decision made, he turned his attention to Trowa. "Go get Quatre; the two of you get the preparations sped up. Wu Fei and I will check this out and try to find Sil. Regardless of our findings, we'll join you in fifteen minutes." 

Trowa nodded and headed up past them to get Quatre. He would have called for him mentally, but that would draw unwanted attention from the humans. 

Heero turned back to look at Relena, "Did you manage to find the key to Sil's room?" 

Shaking her head, "No, we didn't." 

The two were up the stairs before she could say anything more. Her right eye twitched before turning towards Dorothy. Taking a deep breath, she again turned, this time facing the Preventer. "You should get back to what you were doing before." 

"Yes ma'am," as he hurried back to his post. 

Relena again took a calming breath. 

**** 

"--ated, Quatre…." Duo trailed off, watching the door open and Trowa pop his head in. "Hey Tro," his voice was quiet, though Duo did look like he'd just woken up. 

Trowa raised an eyebrow, but nodded to Duo, "Feeling alright?" He waited for Duo to nod in response before continuing. "Quatre, change of plans. The shuttles are arriving early, we need to step up the preparations. You and I are to get it started, Wu Fei and Heero will be joining us in thirteen minutes." 

Sensing Quatre's frustration and irritation at this announcement, Trowa was a bit concerned. _~Did I interrupt something? Was he asking about what he saw?~_

Quatre shook his head, but didn't meet Trowa's eyes, _~No…but I can't help but wonder if he'll still be here when we get back.~_ Quatre stood, brushing the wrinkles out of his khakis. "I'll be right behind you," he said. 

Trowa nodded, then turned his attention to Duo, "Try to get some more sleep; you look like you could use it," before leaving. 

Quatre was at the door before Duo managed to blink the surprise out of his eyes. Feeling Quatre's gaze on him, he turned his head to meet it, "…You have my word Quatre, I'll still be here." 

Quatre closed his eyes for a moment, before nodding his head. Opening them again, he offered Duo a smile, and got a small one in return. He closed the door behind him, and Duo curled back up on the bed, pulling the covers up over him. 

  



	8. Hidden Secrets 7b

**Hidden Secrets   
Part Seven b **

  


By: Valandra 

  


A/N: I do not own the song _Yoake Mae- Heart of the Sword- Before Dawn._ I use the English version here, but I've only heard the Japanese song (don't know if there's an English version). Please look to the Key, as there's a new item there. 

**Key:**   
Thoughts are in (_Italics_)   
Telepathy talk is in (_~~_)   
Normal talk is in ("")   
Song lyrics are in (**)   
Espherian is in (//) 

* * *

  


They were at the base of the stairs leading to the third level before they could hear the lyrics, though they couldn't make out the words yet. 

***/When I'm alone, tomorrow feels far away.   
And I must go over still into the darkness of dawn./***

Even so, Wu Fei felt…something the moment the singing started. He climbed the stairs as quickly as he could, receiving an odd look from Heero for it. 

They quickly reached the top of the stairs, and went directly for the first door on the left. Sure enough, that's where the music was coming from. It had seemed like something soft if up beat at the beginning, but had definitely picked up once the lyrics started. The words came quick, and the music kept up with it. 

***/If I try to play it straight, it will no doubt fail,   
And tonight it won't go well between us again./***

Wu Fei froze mid-kneel in front of the door; he'd planned on picking the lock. Limited though his skills were, it was a simple household lock, and shouldn't be a problem. His eyes bulged as the words, or more specifically as the language clicked in his mind. 

***/You can't see all of my hard efforts, because it's only result   
Is that it makes no sense. It really is a "tightrope."/***

Heero's hand on his shoulder snapped him out of it, and he went to work on the lock. 

_~Wu Fei?~_

***/More effort, more damage--this is my daily life.   
Taking a cynical attitude may give me some comfort…/***

_~…It's Espherian, the song. So it's definitely a CD.~_ Wu Fei informed him after a pause. 

***/Hiding myself, heated and irritated; living only a short time./***

A moment longer and he had the door open. Standing quickly, Wu Fei slowly pushed the door open. He waited until it was fully open before stepping in. 

***/When I'm alone, tomorrow feels far away.   
And I must go over still into the darkness of dawn./***

He felt Heero follow behind him, and pass him as he stopped just past the door, attempting to compose himself. The music might have been upbeat, but the lyrics were far from it. 

***/If I let my emotions free,   
My dreams will once again not go well./***

Taking a couple deep breaths, Wu Fei pulled himself back to some semblance of order. The song was getting to him. More to the point, the lyrics were. Heero noticed, but refrained from saying anything…yet. Wu Fei started looking around the room from his position. 

***/I think the balance sheet of my life is imperfect.   
If I add up the plusses and minuses, will it really equal zero?/***

The room was kept clean and in order. Everything in its place. The bed was made, the desk and shelves were organized according to their owner's wishes. Heero was over by the bed, looking at a ceramic dragon on the shelf above the bed. He wasn't sure why it caught his eye, or why he was wasting time looking at it…nothing beyond a feeling he had. 

***/I want to control all my luck   
That may be used up before my life is ended./***

The books on the shelf by the desk caught Wu Fei's eye. Scanning the titles, he noted most were Espherian, though some where in Japanese and Chinese, and fewer were in English. He recognized some of the Espherian and Chinese ones. Shaking his head, he looked about for what was playing the CD, and wondered why Heero was still standing by the bed. 

***/You don't know--you can change logic at your will./***

_~Heero, the player's over on the dresser. What are you staring at?~_

Heero flinched, snapping back to what he was suppose to be doing. _~…Sorry. I'm…not sure why…but…,~_ he trailed off, both uncertain and embarrassed…or maybe ashamed that he'd let himself be distracted. 

***/I hurt myself because of you, over and over;   
But my love didn't go away--it kept coming back./***

There was definitely a look of…shock, and something nearing…horror, or maybe dread, in Wu Fei's eyes when he saw the ceramic dragon. 

***/The toughness gained from my damage is unbelievable.   
I won't be able to sleep at all tonight either./***

Almost unwillingly, his eyes darted next to the dragon, to the small ornate box. 

Heero was worried Wu Fei was going to have a panic attack. Quickly crossing the room to stand in front of him, Heero locked eyes with Wu Fei, staring straight into him; Wu Fei was looking right through him. _~Wu Fei? Wu Fei, snap out of it!~_ Heero shook Wu Fei's shoulders, trying to snap him out of it. It took a few shakes, but he did return to himself. 

_~Wu Fei! What was that?~_ His concern was completely obvious, though he had made no effort into hiding it. 

_~…I'm…sorry. It just…reminded me of…home. Quite vividly. I…didn't expect that.~_

Heero looked at him a moment, before slowly nodding. _He means Espheria…the dragon must be from there too._ He held Wu Fei's eyes a moment longer to make certain he was alright before releasing his grip on his shoulders. Moving over to the CD player, a small compact thing with radio options as well, he didn't hear somebody enter the room. 

***/However many times it's repeated,   
It revives again and again--because it's love./***

"What do you think you're doing Yuy? You have no warrant, you cannot go taking things from this room without the owner's, in this case Sil's, permission. Preventer's business or not, you still have to follow the rules too. With the door locked, which you _will_ replace if you broke it, nobody will be able to mess with the room." 

"Except for Sil, who has a key. We can't risk the CD being replaced." 

***/You can't blame my emotion,   
Because you should know it will never fade away./***

Dorothy shook her head, "If he does, which isn't your concern," her eyes dared either to speak up. "Then you can go through the proper procedures. Whether you like it or not, you're on the job, _and_ a guest here. You can _ask_ Sil for the CD once the reception is over and things go back to normal. Whatever reasons you have for wanting the CD are second to your current assignment, and you know that just as well as I do." 

***/When I'm alone, tomorrow feels far away.   
And even though I'm in the darkness of dawn, I have to go./***

"Now, if you'll leave, I'll lock it back up, and we can _all_ get back to what we should be doing," she closed the door behind herself, as the two males had walked out while she was speaking. 

***/I don't care about "bad affinity."   
Even if our love is not doing well,   
Nevertheless we have deep ties./***

Listening to the last lyrics, Dorothy smiled softly, "It sounds like a good one, wish I could actually understand it." 

Wu Fei, having heard her comment, stopped and glanced over his shoulder at her. "Things aren't always as they seem," before following Heero back downstairs. 

Dorothy paused, looking after them, her eyes mirthful. "No, indeed they are not." 

**** 

With the preparations sped up, the manor was in chaos. Organized chaos, but chaos nonetheless. But they had no complications, and everything was ready in time for the first arrivals. 

The Preventers were of course still present; they did their job, but stayed out of the way as well. The speech went off without a hitch, and the guests left both pleased and happy. Relena and Dorothy were both at the entrance, seeing everybody off well into the late evening. 

After the last guest's vehicle had left, Heero and Wu Fei both went in different direction to search for Sil. Trowa was supervising the Preventers' removal from the manor while Quatre sought out Relena. Both to commend her on the speech, and to inform her that they would be turning in once the Preventers were gone. 

"Very well. We'll see you at breakfast in the morning then?" 

"Of course Relena. A good night to the two of you," a nod to both girls, and Quatre left to join Trowa. 

With a glance at each other, the two girls decided to turn in as well. After checking with Sandra and letting her know that everybody would likely sleep in, they headed up the stairs. 

Just as they reached the second level, about to turn and take the stairs leading to the third level, Dorothy put her hand on Relena's shoulder, stopping her. Turning her head, Relena saw the door to Duo's room close behind whoever had just entered his room. Looking to Dorothy questioningly, Relena felt a slow smile form on her lips at the knowing smirk on Dorothy's lips. They both silently continued on their way, hopes raised. 

**** 

Neither Wu Fei nor Heero were having any luck in finding Sil. Heero, on the other side of the manor, suggested Wu Fei check out Sil's room again. Wu Fei agreed, but once more found it to be empty. Remembering to lock the door once more, he headed down to the second level. He let Heero know the room was empty before focusing once more on his own thoughts. 

His thoughts…he had them guarded so none would leak to Heero, but he was careful so that it wouldn't be obvious to Heero either. Wu Fei's shields were good, though not his best, and Heero had no training in breaking or slipping by mental shields, so Wu Fei wasn't too worried. 

Looking up, he was startled to find himself in Duo's room. Walking over to the bed, he saw the youth was still sleeping, curled up beneath the blankets. _I wonder if he's woken since Quatre left. Quatre told us he had woken up, and had promised to not leave._ Wu Fei sighed when he saw Duo's swollen lip. He too thought about cleaning up Duo's face, but decided against it. Because he didn't want to risk any more bruises, and also because he wasn't sure what to say to Duo. He hadn't given much thought to what he should say, his thoughts otherwise occupied. 

Stepping away from the bed, walking around it to the window on its other side, Wu Fei stared out at the stars. The moonlight was enough to illuminate the front yard of the manor, and the sky was clear save for a couple wisps of clouds. 

_Where are you Valinus? I know you're near,_ Wu Fei sighed once more. _Why are you hiding from me? How long have you been here, in the human's realm? I know now the warrior from my vision was you, I realized that when I felt your magic protect Duo earlier today. Why are you masquerading as Sil; is it only to protect Relena? That's dangerous, for more then just physical harm; you know this, and yet you're still here. _

Why haven't you come to me, let me know that you're near? 

~Come to you? Why, when? Is that_ what you've been waiting for, for me to come to you?~ _

~V-valinus….~ Wu Fei was still standing at the window, looking out and debating with himself. He wanted to try and trace Valinus' location, but didn't want him to leave or run. 

_~Only because you lined up enough "clues" did you know it was me. And not until today have your thoughts contained me; when was the last time that happened? How long has it been, since we last spoke, do you remember? Do you even care?~ _

~Valinus…?~ Wu Fei was vaguely horrified at what was said, and it showed through in his voice. 

"Three decades…." was whispered from behind him. 

Whipping around, what he saw froze his heart. Duo, still resting in the bed, was facing him, eyes wide. Silent tears were steadily falling, but no heed was given to them. 

"Three decades, _thirty-three years_ since you left…turned your back on us. Why? Why didn't you come back? You didn't even contact me…_any_ of us. Were you truly so anxious to be rid of me? I-I thought…." he started shuddering and tore his gaze from Wu Fei. Sitting up, he drew his legs up, wrapped his arms around them, and buried his face in his knees. 

"I was a fool to believe you actually felt the same. I was a fool to wait for so long, to wait for you to return as you swore." He gave a strangled attempt at a chuckle. "Guess that's why you've avoided your clan. Didn't keep your word, and so you can't face them. 

"But then," he turned his head, eyes once more locking onto Wu Fei's. "By your own words you have no home. How long did you wait before you disowned Espheria, your clan, your friends, your grandfather…me? …Or did you never believe there to be any connection to you?" 

"Oh goddess Valinus," Wu Fei finally managed, him body trembling slightly. "That's not true, not at all." His own eyes were bright with tears. 

Duo looked away first, slowly closing his eyes before moving his head to once again rest on his knees. His tears had yet to stop. 

"Then what is the truth?" came Duo's quiet, grief filled voice. "It's been two years since the war ended. Not once have you tried to contact anyone in Espheria, let alone come back. Are you so happy here--" he broke off, feeling Wu Fei's arms wrap around him. Duo went very still. 

While Duo was speaking, Wu Fei had slowly moved towards the bed and cautiously gotten on. Still cautious, Wu Fei stopped at Duo's side and, sitting on his knees, wrapped his arms around the youth. 

They stayed like that for a few minutes, neither wanting to move for fear of the other's reaction. Slowly, Wu Fei shifted so that he was sitting sideways behind Duo, his legs stretched in front of him. He laid his head on Duo's left shoulder, hiding his face in the crook of Duo's neck. 

Neither spoke, Duo waiting for what Wu Fei had to say, Wu Fei trying to find the words. Wishing he could show him the truth, but not knowing how. Closing his eyes, Wu Fei remembered the first confrontation with the elders on L5. 

^^^^ 

Meilen hadn't been with him, intent on giving him his privacy. He was grateful, and had promised to give everybody her regards. He'd gone to the elders, requesting that they show him how to open the path between Espheria and the human's realm. They denied him, just as they had when they forced the marriage. 

Arguments that it was custom for this to be taught on L5 did no good. They firmly stated that it was their decision for when the ability would be taught. They even suggested, though subtly, that he wished to shirk his duty and simply return before the allotted time. 

He'd managed to not loose his temper, and respectfully deny the accusations. As well as request that the path be opened without him being taught. Again, they refused. This time with no explanations. More doubts and questions arose about his honor and dedication, as well as his ability to do his duty as L5's guardian. 

^^^^ 

"Valinus…I _couldn't_ contact anybody, I…don't know how." He belatedly realized Duo's hands had come up and were cupping his own where they rested on Duo's waist. "It's…custom for 'gate opening' to be taught on L5, because the humans were afraid that the chosen guardians would leave before their time was up. I tried…so many times I tried--" he broke off, feeling Duo turn his head to look at him. 

"I saw," slight wonderment could be heard in his worn voice. "You…didn't sever the bond?" 

Wu Fei quickly looked up, surprised, "Of course not! Valinus, aside from the fact that that's not possible, why would I?" 

Duo looked away, staring at his knees. "…You didn't sense me…." was his quiet reply. There were a few more moments of silence, Wu Fei not certain how to respond, and Duo berating himself. _That's not fair and you know it. He's not at fault for that. You _know_ it's impossible to sever a soul bond. …But I can't deny that it's been a fear of mine, either._

"…I'm sorry Fei," Duo gently squeezed Wu Fei's hands. "That wasn't fair of me, and I know it." 

"…But it's true, I _didn't, couldn't_ sense you." Wu Fei turned his head back towards Duo, silently imploring him to look up at him. He did. 

Locking eyes once more with Wu Fei, "It wasn't your fault. You couldn't sense me through the bond because--" he broke off, head shifting to look at the door. And the person looking through the slight crack of the opening. 

Wu Fei also looked, wondering what had caught his attention. He felt his own eyes widen at what he saw. "Heero…." 

  
  


To Be Continued…. 

  



	9. Interlude Everlasting

**Everlasting **

By: Valinus   
1/1/04 

  


Be grateful the one you love, loves you back   
I'd thought mine did, but he turned his back   
Left without a word, and never came back. 

I see him now, he sees right through me   
Greets me, teases me, never suspecting   
Or realizing that it is me he sees. 

Watch as he leaves, beloved at his side   
Or is it I that leave the two be?   
Going on my way, never interfering   
Other than to bring the two together. 

My job is done, my use complete   
Have no reason to stay, as my will leaves,   
My desires as one, separate from me. 

Few places to go, none desirable   
One favorable, denied am I   
The arms of my love, my soul shattered three. 

  


A new home, not far   
Welcomed, or dragged more like,   
In their presence I relax and enjoy   
life as I pretended to before. 

From this distance, though you know not   
I watch and hide, sheltered from the hurt   
and pain you two cause, yet I willingly inflict. 

No desire to forget, to leave completely   
Unwilling to reveal myself directly   
I stay put, and you forget 

Leave my memory behind   
as you did before, this time   
With two pieces of me,   
Never will I be whole. 


	10. Hidden Secrets 8

**Hidden Secrets  
Part Eight  
By: Valandra**

A/N: I am _so sorry_ for the long wait/delay. If you've read my bio, you know my reasons. Brief explanation, I've been sucked into an RP that's going original novel to be published once we finish it. This has consumed my time and, outside of work, my life; quite literally. However, HS is still a _very_ big deal to me, still very important, and I've felt horrible that I've taken so long to update; I have however been working on this in short spurts since my last update.

Originally I had wanted to do so much more in this chapter, but some parts got extended and some scenes happened that hadn't been planned. However, going over it again and making a few changes, I think it ends well enough where I stopped. And it gives me more flexibility for the next chapter, though I've already got the opening planned out. Plus, didn't want to make this one _too_ long.

**Key:**  
Thoughts are in (_'Italics'_)  
Telepathy talk is in (_~Italics~_)  
Normal talk is in ("Plain")  
Song lyrics are in (**Bold**)  
Espherian is in (/English/)

* * *

Heero was standing behind the door, for how long Wu Fei wasn't sure. It wasn't that he minded Heero over-hearing all that had been said, that wasn't worrying him so much. It was Heero's eyes; they were showing more emotions then Wu Fei could decipher. Even so, he couldn't get himself past the fear and hurt that he saw there.

He quickly shifted his gaze towards Duo when he saw Heero's gaze was fixed there, after his eyes flashed with something still stronger. Duo had his own gaze on Heero; Wu Fei felt his eyes narrow when he caught the smile on Duo's lips.

_~Heero, join us, please?~_ Duo held out his hand towards Heero as he made his request.

Heero's shock was almost as much as Wu Fei's own. Swallowing hard, Heero hesitantly entered the room, carefully closing the door behind him without turning his back to the two on the bed. He slowly made his way to the bed, but faltered once he reached the edge of it. His eyes imploring, Heero looked to both youths on the bed, still not making any move to get on.

Both Duo and Wu Fei could _feel_ Heero's anxiety and no small amount of fear. But they could also feel hope lurking behind the negativity.

Duo, hand still stretched out to Heero, spoke again. _~Please Heero, you have nothing to worry about. I…want to explain to the both of you, some things.~_ He paused a moment, blinked, and a small, almost sad smile formed on his face. ~_I have no intention of taking Wu Fei from you Heero.~_

Heero wasn't able to hide his flinch, but quickly ducked his head so neither youth could see his face. Wu Fei was, once again, caught off-guard, and berated himself. He should have known Heero would be worried about that; _would have_ known that if he had better control over his own reactions.

_~Heero, please. You know I wouldn't just up and leave you, please don't think of me in that way. You have always had my love, nothing can nor will change that.~_

The sincerity in both voices called out to Heero; he had no doubts they spoke the truth. It wasn't in him to doubt them. Neither Wu Fei's familiar, elegant and noble with underlying calm, nor Duo's soothing, light voice, that sounded like it was almost being sung rather then spoken.

Still a bit hesitant because of his uncertainty, Heero slowly crawled up onto the bed and over to the embracing youths. He sat on his knees in front of the two, his head still lowered. He did, however, take Duo's offered hand. His grip was loose, as if he didn't believe the hand would stay in his own for long.

Duo's smile didn't loose its sadness as he tightened his grip on Heero's hand. ~_Please Heero, look up. You have as much right to be here as any one of us.~_ He gave a gentle tug on Heero's hand, pulling him closer to the other two.

Heero looked up, not only because of Duo's entreaty, but also because he felt himself moving forward. He was caught by what he saw in Duo's eyes. They weren't entirely the eyes of Duo Maxwell. They were much more like those few glimpses from during the war, though a lot less melancholy.

His question wasn't formed with words, but felt through his emotions. Duo's smile lost its touch of sadness as Heero relaxed. Though he still had his questions, Heero knew he had nothing to fear from either of the two young men in front of him. Knew that he wouldn't be left behind or forgotten.

Both Heero and Duo looked at Wu Fei when his own question was felt through their apparent link. Heero with realization that he wasn't the only one in the dark on some things, and Duo with mild amusement tempered by understanding.

_~I'm not too surprised you don't understand Fei. The Dragon clans, like most Mystics, don't hold soul bonds in the same light as we do. Have you explained the bond to Heero?~_

Wu Fei shook his head, ~_I couldn't fully understand it when you explained it to me the first time. When we realized we shared a bond, it felt different from what you and I shared. I wasn't entirely certain it was a soul bond, but then, I didn't know what else it could be.~_

Duo nodded, looking down at where Heero's hand was still in his own, his lips twisted oddly. _~A soul bond…a connection between souls from before birth. We know our soul bonded…instinctively, naturally. Every Mystic has a…"soul-mate," if you will, but not many wait or search for theirs; most will accept love when it comes, whether it's on a soul level or not.~_

Duo tightened his grip on Heero's hand, reassuring them both. Wu Fei, guessing what Duo planned on saying, moved closer, leaning his shoulder against Heero's.

_~Wu Fei and I already knew each other for a while before we realized what it was we felt with each other…eventually even when the other wasn't near.~_

_~I had heard stories of soul bonds, but never any real details,_~ Wu Fei put in.

Nodding, Duo continued. _~I grew up with the stories, as soul bonds are…highly respected among my people. It's not uncommon for us to search for ours, or hold off any relationship, saving ourselves for our bond, as it were. It's not looked down upon to form a relationship with one who is not your soul bond, but wanting to wait is…almost ingrained since birth._

_~What I felt with Wu Fei was definitely a bond, but not as strong as the stories would have one believe. I didn't know anyone who had found their soul bond to ask, so I assumed the stories had been exaggerated, or that the bond would grow with time.~_

Locking eyes with first Wu Fei, then Heero, Duo tried to impart how serious he was. _~No where in the stories does it say a soul bond is limited to two people._~ He paused, letting that sink in. He could see understanding in Wu Fei's eyes, but a touch of confusion in Heero's.

Though he didn't know much about soul bonds, Heero had thought that, logically, whatever bond he had with Wu Fei must be shared with Duo. He knew he was missing something, and was waiting for Duo to finish explaining.

_~The bond didn't feel as strong as it should, because your soul wasn't yet on our plane of existence Heero. You hadn't been born yet, and our three souls had yet to meet here._~ He paused a moment before continuing. ~_The reason the bond felt stronger between you two was because both of your souls had already connected with mine. That's also partially why you couldn't sense me Fei.~_

All three were silent for a bit, each thinking. Heero was the first to speak up. _~You and Wu Fei knew each other for a while before you felt the bond. Wu Fei and I didn't notice it until we actually formed a relationship. You say that you and I already connected, but I've never noticed the bond until you spoke earlier. When did it form?~_

Duo seemed to almost brace himself. _~You didn't notice it because you didn't know what to look for. It was formed, but we never used it, or acknowledged it. The bond between you and Fei was already there after the first time you both truly relaxed and opened up with each other. Your relationship nurtured the bond, making it obvious to you.~_

_~As far as how your's and mine was established….~_ Duo trailed off, slowly bringing Heero's hand up to the left side of his neck. Shifting his grip on Heero's hand so that Heero's fingers and palm weren't covered, Duo tilted his own head to the right before gently holding Heero's fingers against his neck. At the contact, Duo's eyes fluttered; Heero's confusion was obvious for a moment, before he shifted his fingers, rubbing them against Duo's neck. His confusion was quickly replaced with horror.

_~Oh gods….~_ Heero moaned without realizing it. When Heero tried to jerk his hand back, Duo wouldn't let it go. He held it in place, his eyes on Heero's face; Heero's eyes locked onto where his fingers rested.

Wu Fei was obviously concerned, but quickly putting the pieces together. He could pretty much guess what had happened, but he was drawing a blank on the _when_ and _how_. Seeing tears in Heero's eyes, Wu Fei moved to put a hand on his shoulder, only to pull it back when Heero flinched from its proximity.

Heero, still vainly trying to get his hand back, couldn't understand why Duo was still holding his hand. Why he had asked him to join them, how he could stand being so near to him.

_~Please Heero, look at me.~_ Duo softly begged of him, breaking through Heero's round-about thoughts. Distantly, Heero wondered how long Duo had been speaking. Reluctantly, Heero rolled his eyes from Duo's neck to his eyes. Held in place by that gaze, he stopped trying to pull his hand back without realizing it.

_~From the moment I met you Heero Yuy, I knew you were a Mystic. However, what kind escaped me, and I couldn't search or research like I wished, as Duo Maxwell is a human, who was fighting a human war. After I got to know you, I came to learn you had no idea- that you believed yourself to be human, if genetically enhanced and well trained._

_~The clues were all there, it was obvious; but still I did not figure it out. Not until your sixteenth birthday,~_ he brought his free hand up to cup Heero's cheek as he spoke. _~The night before you left for the moon base.~_

Wu Fei shifted and moved to sit somewhat behind Heero, but to his side as well. Leaning forward against Heero, Wu Fei wrapped his arms around the younger man; he rested his chin on Heero's shoulder.

Heero remained silent as he thought about that night, tried to remember what he could, which was very little. Not much had happened that night; nothing eventful enough for him to remember at any rate. _'And how does he know that day was my birthday? Even I don't know when it is. I couldn't find anything in J's records either, before or after the war.'_

Duo withdrew his hand from Heero's cheek, seemingly reading the other's question in his eyes. ~_It's your people's day of age, when your vampiric nature comes out. Trans didn't explain this to you? ...No, he wouldn't have,~_ Duo answered himself before Heero had a chance to. _~It would have brought up things I asked him to not speak of.~_

Wu Fei chuckled softly, seeing the sheepish smile Duo then offered; knowing what expression Heero must be wearing.

_~You know Trans?~_ Heero asked, eyes narrowing slightly. He then relaxed, feeling Wu Fei's arms tighten around him.

_~After he's done explaining,~_ Wu Fei whispered, smiling when Heero nodded and placed his free hand over both of Wu Fei's own.

Soft smile still in place, though it grew a bit smaller, Duo continued. ~_You were already asleep when the moon rose, and the change began. I don't know if that was luck or natural, and Trans would not tell me. It took me some time, though thankfully not too long, to realize what was happening. I called Trans, who was thankfully able to get there shortly after; especially as I wasn't willing to explain what was happening until he was physically there.~_

Heero's fingers shifted on Duo's neck, more nerves flexing then conscious thought, and violet eyes lidded for a moment. Heero took note of the action, mainly because it caused Duo's smile to return.

Duo sighed softly before continuing after his short pause. _~You should have been prepared prior to that night by your family; shown what to do and to expect. To have already gathered energy for the change, to support and sustain your body through it. But because you were raised human and I didn't put the effort into learning otherwise sooner, you were never shown how, or even warned. And so you were dieing, because you didn't have the energy you needed and didn't know how to get it.~_

Heero remained silent and unmoving, showing no reaction to what was being said. Even so, he was grateful for Wu Fei's arms around him, holding him tightly.

_~I wasn't going to let you die; I considered us friends, and knew of yours and Wu Fei's relationship despite you efforts otherwise.~_ He smirked for a moment and gave them a wink, showing no ill will was meant. _~So, even knowing it was forbidden beyond few exceptions approved by the Elders, I suggested blood energy. Trans of course, thought I was out of my mind. Blood drinking forms a link between the two involved, bringing a lot of dangers and such in its own right; which is why it was forbidden._

_~He still wasn't keen on the idea after I explained that you were the third of the soul bond.~_ Here Duo's smile grew a bit, but both that and his eyes were tinted with sadness, once more reminding the two of chance glimpses during the war.

_~He wanted to go find Wu Fei,~_ Duo's voice snapped the two back to the present. _~As the bond between the two of you was already being nurtured. But you were already on the moon, and we didn't have enough time to get you. Or to take Heero to you. The bloodlust would have already taken hold. So, he reluctantly agreed to help me with getting you to drink from me._

_~So that's how…and when,~_ his lips twitched as he made eye contact with Wu Fei before looking back to Heero. _~It was_ my _choice Heero, and a decision I made_ for _you, for us both. And though I'm sorry I took that from you, I'm not sorry for my actions.~_ Duo held the other's blue eyes, imparting how serious he was.

The three remained sitting still in silence for long minutes, thinking. After some time, Duo let his hand fall away from Heero's and moved to the bed edge as he began to speak in a low, soft and quiet voice. "I'm sure the two of you are exhausted after everything that's happened today, so I'll let you get some sleep." Once off the bed he started towards the door without looking back. And so, missing the almost panicked expression in Heero's eyes as he looked behind him to Wu Fei.

Wu Fei's own were saddened and slightly lidded, but there was also a touch of…ironic amusement held within their ebony depths as well, as he watched the long-haired male walk away. _~He does not wish to interfere with our established relationship. And we've yet to make it known to him that that is exactly what we wish,~_ he spoke to Heero as he turned his eyes back to his younger love.

Their actions passing quickly, Duo had only paused for breath and was still a few feet from the door, but drawing closer. "I should check on Relena, before turning in myself," he continued, only to stop short as a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind, pinning his own arms to his sides. He turned his head slightly, trying to see over his shoulder as he felt a solid body press up against him, the arms connected to said body tightening, holding him in place.

"And if we don't want you to leave?" Heero whispered into his left ear as Wu Fei walked around the two, locking the door before stepping right up in front of Duo.

"We wanted to tell you after that last mission months ago, before you left," Wu Fei spoke, ledges of his top two fingers lifting then tilting Duo's chin to the right. "We both had feelings for you, towards you, during the war. But they mostly went unacknowledged until recently, because of your masks and our stubbornness to see beyond them."

"Aside from the few glimpses we caught by chance," Heero added, tightening his arms further for a moment. He smiled slightly, feeling Duo lean into and relax against him.

"But you don't really know me," Duo quietly spoke after a moment, directing it towards Heero.

"I know everything I need to, from every time I've looked into your eyes," Heero whispered, more emotion in his voice then Duo could ever remember hearing before. "Everything else, I want to learn and discover; but with the both of you."

Duo remained silent for a moment before smiling and nodding slightly. "If so much can happen with the both of you in a single day, I can only imagine what the past two years were like. And I look forward to finding out, and seeing what the future holds for us."

Wu Fei smiled, his fingers still beneath Duo's chin. Keeping the other's head tilted, he leaned in and claimed lips he at one point thought could never be still. His own twitched against Duo's as that thought went a bit further, taking the implications it brought with it.

"So does that mean you no longer wish to leave?" Wu Fei asked as he broke the gentle kiss, his fingers trailing up to caress Duo's cheek. His smile softened as he watched Duo lean into it.

"Yes, it means I no longer wish nor intend to leave," Duo answered, eyes a pale lilac.

"Good," Heero whispered before trailing his lips down Duo's throat and sealing them over the scar there; his mark. He sucked lightly at it, before drawing his tongue over it. _~Because I don't have any intention of letting you go.~_

Duo gasped, his eyes widening before going half lidded. He sagged back against Heero, his head falling back to rest on Heero's shoulder. The arms around him tightened, keeping him upright in his sudden weakness. He turned his head more to the right, further exposing his neck and throat to Heero.

"Aahh," he breathed the almost cry, his eyes shutting tight when Heero didn't relent.

_'Sensory overload,'_ Wu Fei thought as he watched, chuckling softly at Duo's "plight." It was an interesting twist, seeing him at another's mercy, and one he found himself enjoying. Even so…. "Let's move this back to the bed?" he suggested, knowing the sun would be rising soon.

Heero chuckled and Duo moaned softly, his hands clinching where they hung pinned at his sides. Giving the reddened flesh a final lick, Heero lifted his head and looked down into Duo's face. Lips curving upward in an almost smirk, Heero scooped up the near panting boy, knowing the other wouldn't be able to walk just yet.

Duo curled into Heero as he was held, closed eyes relaxing with the rest of him. He remained still as Heero climbed onto the bed and then crawled further into it, near the middle where Wu Fei was waiting for them.

_~You're going to pay for that Heero,~_ Duo mock threatened as he was laid down on the bed, a pillow beneath his head. _~But after you've gotten some sleep…and when you're not expecting it,~_ he added as an almost afterthought. He curled up slightly, a smile pulling at his lips when Wu Fei wrapped an arm around him from behind.

Sitting on Duo's other side, Heero smirked as he reached down for the blankets, drawing them up over the three of them. "I'm so scared," he murmured back as he laid down, propping himself up on his elbow; his fingers brushed over Duo's neck, eliciting a shiver from him.

Duo groaned softly, realizing he'd been laid on his right side for a reason. _~Heero,~_ he mock wined in a low voice, opening almost plum colored eyes to look up at the other.

Grin tempering into a soft smile, Heero caressed Duo's cheek before laying down completely, his arm snaking out to wrap around the boy, running parallel with Wu Fei's own.

Folding one hand up to cover Wu Fei's against his own chest, Duo dragged his other arm up and draped it over Heero's side. Snuggling deeper into his pillow and the two bodies around him, Duo smiled and whispered a soft, _~Night.~_

* * *

Heero shifted in the bed and pulled the warm body in his arms closer. Smiling faintly as he drifted between the state of awareness and sleep, he trailed fingers along the other's back before finding loose hair. Hand moving up to the other's head, Heero threaded his fingers through the fine, silken threads.

Having the fuzzy thought that the hair wasn't nearly as thick as he'd expected, Heero drew his hand down. Only to draw in a sharp but silent breath, as he ran out of hair at just about bellow the other's shoulder-blades. Eyes slitting open, he tightened his arms around Wu Fei.

_~'Fei? Where'd he go?~_ Heero asked, even as he felt the other slowly awaken; a questioning feel to the other's mind.

_~Where'd who go?~_ came an amused, melodic voice.

Sitting up quickly, ignoring the disgruntled noise Wu Fei made, Heero looked around the room for where the mental voice had come from. A foolhardy attempt, had he not already known another was in the room with them; something he'd become aware of, once the voice had spoken.

There was a desk across the room from the bed, it's chair pulled out with a figure sitting sideways in it. Long dark hair falling loosely behind him, though looking a bit damp, the figure was braiding a long lock of hair on the left side of his face. And despite fighting to keep the three pieces separate, as well as to keep his bangs out of the way, there was still a smirk on the pinkish lips.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," he said, straightening further and leaning back in the chair as his braid grew in length.

"More your absence's doing, I think," Wu Fei murmured as he rolled onto his back; running a hand through his hair to get it out of his face, though he refused to open his eyes just yet.

"Then the two of you must be very hard sleepers," he teased as he stood, braid almost finished. "Or perhaps simply exhausted after yesterday." Wrapping the tie around the completed braid, his smirk morphed into a small, satisfied grin. Hands going to his hips as he tossed loose hair back with a head movement, he locked eyes with Heero.

"Sil?" Heero questioned with a hint of almost lost-confusion.

Seeing the realization in Heero's eyes, he made his way over to the bed and climbed on. His gaze was drawn to Wu Fei as the young man finally decided to sit up, arms locking above his head as he stretched.

"What name is truly yours?" Heero demanded after a moment, frustrated but not angry. Remembering the name Valinus having been used the night before by Wu Fei.

Gaze drawn back to Heero, Sil smiled almost repentantly. "They are all mine, though each received in a different manner." He continued after a moment's pause, not giving Heero a chance to get irritated by the answer. "Valinus is the name my parents gave to me upon my birth…. Has Wu Fei explained to you the tendency among Mystics to have two names? One for their Mystic form, the other their human?"

Heero shook his head and Wu Fei adopted an almost sheepish expression, shrugging his shoulders apologetically when Heero turned to look at him. "It didn't come up?" Wu Fei offered.

Rolling his eyes, Sil crossed his legs before him and laid his hands palm down behind him, leaning back on them. He'd woken before the both of them, and had slipped out of the bed and room without either noticing. After a quick shower, he'd slipped into some clean cloths before deciding he'd better get back before one of the guys decided to wake up.

He'd chosen a simple pair of loose fitting black jeans, and a black muscle shirt, similar to the green ones Heero wore in the war. Tucked into the pants, it was formfitting and yet loose; comfortable. His neck was bare of the chocker from before; instead there hung a simple opal ball charm, a three-fingered claw gripping it in place. It was strung from a length of leather around Sil's neck. When the light hit the leather just right, one might swear to see a hint of silver to it.

"Well," Sil started again, drawing their attention back to him. "It's personal preference, really. Some Mystics have two names that they go by; in which case, they usually have two separate lives. One of a Mystic, the other a human."

"Or in Valinus' case, so he's not as easily recognized," Wu Fei muttered, something held within his dark lidded orbs.

Sil rolled his eyes knowingly. "Yes, that has its perks too." He focused back on Heero before continuing. "Valinus is the name my parents gave to me upon my birth. Valinus Jadsilion. It is the name I have grown up with, and so it is the one I am most familiar with. However, as Wu Fei has hinted at so far, restrained as he has been to not point this out any more blatantly, it wouldn't be wise for me to use it while human."

"Damned idiotic, not that you're not already pushing the line," Wu Fei muttered, arms crossing as he leaned back against the bed, all but huffing.

As Sil rolled his eyes again, Heero looked between the two, before refocusing on Sil. "Then which human persona is truly yours?" he asked, though the other's appearance today should have made it clear.

Wu Fei sat up straighter and agreed that it was a good question. By his own words, Duo was a human; and though posing as a human, Valinus would not have limited himself to such degrees as he had for that persona. It was down-right stupid, and the man had more intelligence then that. _'"Duo was a human, fighting a human war," was what he'd said,'_ Wu Fei thought to himself, recalling the other's words from the night before. _'A human war…yes, that could have caused problems for him as well; just as protecting a human princess/political figure could.'_

"They both are," was the simple answer given with an easy smile. "Sil is whom I normally am, when I am not Valinus. It's derived from my last name," he said, lips twitching a bit. Recalling how the girls had tried to talk him into a different name.

"And Duo?" Heero prompted, uncertain of how he felt about the other's response. How could both persona's be true? _'Then again, if he's grown up with two personas, one mystic and another human, then why not three? Then again,'_ he thought, having caught the boy's phrasing the night before as Wu Fei had. _'If Duo was strictly human, unable to research as a Mystic in human guise, then was Duo created for the wars alone?'_

"Duo was…is, something I think best explained when the five of us are together. I'd rather not explain it twice over, if you don't mind," he said, though his eyes promised to do otherwise and explain right then and there, if either so wished.

The two were silent a moment as they remained motionless, before they each gave a single, deep nod in sync; seeming to share a look, without having done so. This drew a faint smile from Sil, which slowly grew wider; eventually drawing soft chuckles from him. Bringing an arm around his stomach, eyes closed, he shook his head at the other two; essentially "waving off" the look the two did share this time.

Calming down, Sil's grin felt so honest, that he found he couldn't rid himself of it, and so he ceased trying. "It's nearly noon now, though not many have stirred yet. I'd imagine you'd both like a shower before getting dressed. You're welcome to the one in here," he waved behind him to the general direction of the bathroom. "But it's not really well stocked. Bare minimum and all." He chuckled and looked around the room. "Had to pack a quick duffle after all of you turned in, and left the house so I could come back as Duo. It wasn't a last minute decision, but I fought Relena on it all the way."

"If you were so set against it, then why did you agree?" Heero asked as he slid from the bed; wondering why Relena would have pushed for such a thing.

Looking back to the other, Sil smirked. "Because Duo Maxwell never lies, just as I told you yesterday. She twisted that back on me, and enjoyed every damn minute of it," he all but growled, then shrugged.

"Anyways, I'm going to take these things back up to my room," he waved to the dresser and CDs on top of it as he stood and moved towards them. "The shower in ya'll's room should be well supplied. Trowa and Quatre have their own as well, so you don't have to worry about them walking in on you."

Gathering the CDs together, Sil suddenly found arms wrapped around him, trapping his arms to his sides. Turning his head to the side, he raised an eyebrow at Wu Fei, who was resting his chin on his shoulder.

"And you've conveniently already taken a shower, I see," he mussed, chuckling at the look in the other's eyes. "You look surprised," he commented, lips curving upward.

"And you're bolder then I recall," he said bluntly, clearly speaking of their past "together."

"Well," Wu Fei said, a definite smirk on his lips. "Perhaps it is your appearance? You are not nearly as…intimidating, as you are now. Though, they do say time changes people."

Sil snorted and laid his head back on Wu Fei's shoulder. "Not so much time, as you met me under different circumstances now, I believe. You were less awed and more suspicious upon meeting Sil, Relena's bodyguard and your correspondent. Though, then again," he continued, lifting his head and slowly turning in Wu Fei's arms. "Time has left her touch upon you. You are indeed bolder, and have grown more confident. Meilen would be proud, of all that you have accomplished, _and_ that you still retain a scholar's mind and heart."

Wu Fei went noticeably still, his breath catching; the past-tense use of "would" not lost to him. "Then you, they…." he trailed off, unable to complete his thoughts, let alone a sentence.

"Yes," Sil nodded once, easily slipping his arms out of Wu Fei's slackened hold, and proceeded to wrap them around the younger Mystic. ~_Heero,~ _he spoke to the boy sitting on the bed ledge watching them curiously and a bit lost. _~Come hold him with me. Do you know of Meilen?~_

_~No,~_ he responded, standing and coming up behind Wu Fei, holding him in-turn. As soon as he touched the other boy, he could feel the tension and stress in the older boy; he also noticed that Wu Fei relaxed a small bit against him after a short moment.

Though he didn't release the boy, Sil did pull back enough to hold black opal orbs once Heero had joined them. "Yes," he repeated, voice noticeably softer, quieter, though not quite dampened. "We felt her death. The elders, myself, my sister…and Son-Ja." He tightened his arms around Wu Fei, feeling the boy stiffen and a wave of guilt and grief wash over him through their bond; though certain Heero felt it as well, Sil knew it wasn't as potent for the other boy, still unfamiliar with the emotional aspect of their connection.

Sil refrained from continuing, letting them fall into silence as Wu Fei digested and accepted what was being told to him. Allowing the grieving youth to direct the conversation from there.

"…I," he slowly started, voice quiet. "I saw the ceremonial memorial box in your room. You decorated it as befitting a warrior, given an honorable death and celebrated as such."

Sil nodded, and communed his desirer to move them over to the bed to Heero. He waited until the three of them were settled, Heero still holding the boy from behind, legs parted and on either side of Wu Fei's hips. Sil himself was seated in front of the Chinese youth, one leg pinned beneath Wu Fei's knee, the other stretched out over the other's ankles of the same leg. He held one of Wu Fei's hands loosely in his own, his other resting on the boy's inner-thigh.

"She was given a warrior's memorial, Son-Ja more then the rest of us making certain it suited Meilen's tastes. I placed the fire ashes of her _Rlanete Anogrd_ in the _Olairmem fo S'aneveh Rroiraw_ that I had created for the memorial. I keep her beside your _Rlanete Anogrd_, as I'm certain you noticed. Valandra did similar. And Son-Ja…." he trailed off, pausing for a moment, as if both bracing and gathering himself. Looking into the other's onyx orbs, he could read Wu Fei's desirer for him to continue, a certain knowing-suspicion forming within them. "She carries her fire-iced ashes within a _S'vreol Utelma_ that she wears constantly, resting just over her heart." He fell silent then, knowing Wu Fei would understand the implications and giving him time to accept and adjust.

He spent that time apologizing to Heero, knowing the other was completely lost. Well, perhaps not _completely._

_~I know what a _Rlanete Anogrd_ is, though I've never seen one…until we went into your rooms yesterday. Wu Fei explained it to me before since he could not create one here. They're figurines representing their depicter's life force and soul, to an extent. Given only to those held high in regard and heart, that are close on a personal level like…best friends that act more like siblings?~_

Sil chuckled, though it was mental and only himself and Heero heard it. _~A comparison of Meilin's, I recall. An excellent way of explaining her and Wu Fei's relationship as well. They acted the part of siblings so well, that if they had not said the same of Son-Ja and myself that I might not have believed otherwise.~_

_~Son-Ja?~_ Heero repeated, wishing the other would simply explain and stop throwing in new factors and names.

_~Sorry,~_ Sil replied, giving the other a sheepish look over Wu Fei's head, feeling Heero's irritation.

_~Son-Ja, as I said,~_ though indirectly, with Heero it still counted, ~_is like a sister to me. We grew up together. She and Meilin hit it off immediately, and though I do not know how close they were, it was obviously a very close relationship, for Son-Ja to put Meilen's _Rlanete Anogrd_ fire-iced ashes into a _S'vreol Utelma_. Loosely translated, it means Aijin Mayoke, or a Lover's Amulet. Fire to denote a warrior's demise; ice, the shards of a shattered heart left behind. Much as I had prepared myself to do with Wu Fei's when we received no word from him._

_~I don't press her to speak with me of it; I respect her silence and grief. Though I've been assured that she has spoken some with Valandra of it,~_ this he said to both of them, knowing Wu Fei needed to hear it. It was also an unspoken way to inform the black haired youth that he had been speaking, explaining to Heero in the silence that had fallen.

_~But then,~_ Heero slowly started, small crease appearing upon his brow to show the depths of his consideration and thought. _~Why is this news so upsetting to him?~_ That was what he couldn't understand; did Wu Fei not approve of a relation between the two? That hardly seemed reason enough for this kind of reaction, nor the proper type of reaction for such a reason.

Wu Fei shook his head, hand tightening briefly around the one that held it. _~No, I have the utmost respect and liking for Son-Ja,~_ he quietly but confidently corrected Heero's unspoken thoughts. He gave a soft laugh at the younger boy's start of surprise. _~It'll take practice Heero, to speak to one without sending to the other. I know I need a bit more myself.~_

_~Not funny,~_ Heero said in partially mocked frustration and some true embarrassment, tightening his arms warningly around Wu Fei even as he kicked at Sil's none trapped leg.

The three shared a short laugh and the atmosphere noticeably relaxed as the silence stretched out for a few minutes. Heero laid his head on Wu Fei's shoulder and looked up to the other. _~Why does it upset you so, hurt you even?~_ he asked in a soft and surprisingly quiet voice, fingers brushing over the older boy's heart.

_~Because,~_ he reached up to loosely clasp that hand in his own free one, and brought it down to his other still firmly held in Sil's hand. _~Meilin and I were forced into marriage by the humans we protected. And yet, they weren't allowed the chance at even that much. And Meilin….~_ He broke off, eyes closing tight to fight tears as memories resurfaced, his head bowing. _~She bore it all silently. Never_ once _did she say anything, even_ mention _something about this to me. Even while supporting me, she kept her silence.~_

When Wu Fei finally looked back up, it was to see a soft smile on Sil's lips and a wide spectrum of emotions in his tear bright brown-green orbs. Sil spoke up before the other could question him on either.

_~She said nothing, because she knew you so well. You wouldn't break tradition nor risk breaking the oath you took, to ease your_ own _pain,_ your _suffering. But had you known she suffered similar, you would not have hesitated to oppose the human elders, to go so far as to risk the oath and force them into calling the wedding off. Perhaps so far as to force the teaching of gate opening, if they'd gotten you worked up enough. And though you wouldn't have regretted such actions, justified as they would have been, you would have hated yourself. For coming so close to an act or actions that could be seen as dishonorable. Because though others wouldn't have seen them as such,~_ he reached up with his free hand to tap at Wu Fei's temple. _~Your mind would have. And that would slowly eat away at you._

_~She would not do that to you for just a bit of assurance,~_ he shook his head. ~_Just the fact that you_ would _go to such extremes for her was enough; it was the comfort you gave her in turn. The knowledge that if at any point it became too much, all she had to do was speak to you, and you would put an immediate stop to it. Though she would have insisted that anything you could shoulder up to and bear, so too could she.~_

After a moment's silence, Wu Fei chuckled softly and nodded in agreement before leaning back into Heero. _~You are right of course, on all accounts,_~ he sighed in rueful agreement.

_~I know I am,~_ he said in mock pride. _~And I'll leave the smack Meilin would have given you for Son-Ja to carry out…on top of whatever else occurs to her.~_

"Oh joy," Wu Fei groaned, dropping his head back to Heero's shoulder and closing his eyes.

_~Does this mean they're here, or we'll be going to see them?~_ Heero asked a bit curiously, hopeful to the idea of going to them. That would mean going to Espheria, where his two loves grew up. He had a brief flash of irritation at himself, realizing he'd not switched over to speak verbally; he knew his emotions laced his mental voice far more then his physical one.

"No, they're not here," Sil answered with a small laugh, tempering his amusement. He was also assuming that the "they" Heero was referring to were his two sisters, as Trans had yet to be brought back up. This gave him a moment's pause and he frowned. "Wait, let me see if I understand this then. _None_ of you know how to open a gate? Not even Trowa?" he looked between the two, lips drawn down at the twin shakes he received. _'Damn it Trans, you and I are going to have a long talk. And very soon.'_

"Well then," he smiled, eyes brightening as he gave Wu Fei's hand a squeeze before releasing it and leaning back; propping himself up on both hands. "I guess that means I'll be teaching the lot of you. Though not today," he continued, glancing at the door as footsteps were heard passing by.

"Sounds like the house is waking up. Why don't you two go get that shower and meet me downstairs for brunch?" Slipping his leg out from beneath theirs', he turned towards the bed edge and slid off. "I'm going to take these back as I tried to before," he mock glared at Wu Fei, who simply smirked in response and didn't even attempt to play innocent.

"The others will probably be there too," Heero said, stretching as he stood.

Wu Fei nodded, already making his way to the door; they'd be showering in their assigned room. "Yes, but they might not be ready to hear everything at once. We can corner him later if the two do not wish to hear everything when we sit down to talk."

Nodding in agreement as he came up behind the other, Heero looked back to Sil, to see if that was acceptable. "Of course," Sil nodded with a grin, shaking his head as the door was pulled-to behind them.

They were just outside of their own door when Heero paused and looked back to "Duo's" room, then over to Wu Fei, who was giving him a questioning look. "Did he say 'brunch'?"

To Be Continued….


	11. Hidden Secrets 9

Hidden Secrets

Chapter Nine

**By: Valandra**

**Beta: None**

* * *

A/N: Filled up my first notebook with the first two pages of this chapter! A milestone!  
Also, the song _Sky Dreamer_ is from Samurai Troopers/Ronin Warriors, a character song sung by Touma/Rowen Hashiba. A surprising tribute to my first series that I joined into the online fandom for. Further notes at the end.

**Key:**  
Thoughts are in (_'Italics'_)  
Telepathy talk is in (_~Italics~_)  
Normal talk is in ("Plain")  
Song lyrics are in (**Bold**)  
Espherian is in (/English/)

* * *

Staring at his feet as he climbed down the stairs, Sil was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the raised and clearly…agitated voice at their base. He was halfway through the large sitting room, subconscious leading him to the main dinning room, when he was snapped back to the here and now.

"Huh?" he looked up and around blankly, stopping where he stood. Brown-green eyes falling on a bemused Trowa and an irritatingly-concerned Quatre, Sil just stood there and blinked at them before realization dawned and cleared his eyes. One of them, Quatre no doubt, had been calling his name. "Sorry," he said sheepishly, right hand coming up to rub at the back of his head and neck.

Releasing a gust of breath, Quatre's hands dropped from his sides and he shook his head. Trowa meanwhile was giving the dark-haired youth a curious look, his amusement still present even as piercing emerald studied the youth unnoticed.

"Don't worry about it Sil, you're clearly preoccupied with something," he said with resigned exasperation, waving a hand. "Has something happened?"

"Hmm?" Sil sounded, looking back up, eyes telling of his continued distraction. "No, not that I've been made aware of," he shook his head, turning back on his path. "I've checked on the girls already, everything should be in order. Don't worry so much Q."

Quatre stared after him, waiting until after Sil had vanished through the arch before releasing an aggravated breath. Running a hand through thick golden locks, he turned on his heel to stare at Trowa. "That's all well and good, but he never answered my first question. And what the hell do you find so amusing Trowa?"

Ceasing his silent chuckling, Trowa held his hands up palm out and shook his head. "I didn't say a thing."

"Exactly!" he snapped, arms crossing as he turned his side to the other boy. "You could have stepped in and said something before he took off again. Or make a suggestion on what to do next, preferably before Heero or Wu Fei come down."

Finally moving, Trowa walked up behind Quatre and wrapped his arms around the shorter boy. "Calm down love," he spoke softly into the youth's ear. "You're becoming as frustrated as Wu Fei just after the alley. Take a moment to breath and think clearly."

Holding onto his anger and frustration for a few moments longer, Quatre sagged back against his lover and released them both, leaving behind only hurt and confusion. "He promised Trowa. He gave me his word," he whispered, eyes tearing. Closing them, he turned his head to press the side of it into Trowa's chest, his hands coming up to hold the arms around him.

"Then do not be so quick to doubt him," Trowa replied, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

Quatre was silent for a long moment, the two standing motionless together in the middle of the sitting room. A single laugh forced its way out of the blond youth and his lips twitched against his will. "You're right," he assented, resigned and self-derisively. "He'll make himself known in his own time. Just because we couldn't find him doesn't mean he's not here. It's just been so long and so hard…."

Shaking his head, Quatre straightened and turned around in the embrace. Leaning forward, he placed a quick kiss on Trowa's cheek and gave the other a small but genuine smile. "But that's no reason for me to doubt him."

oOo

For all he was aware, Sil was the only one sitting at the dinning table, a plate of mush before him. Fork in hand, he was staring with unseeing eyes as he mixed and mashed the various entrées on his plate. Sighing, he dropped the fork half on the plate and leaned back in his chair, arms crossing before him.

'_Maybe I should have brought my notebook down with me,'_ he thought on the verge of depressed, unable to even work up a bit of frustration at his inability to put his thoughts and emotions into order. _'Bah, like I'd be any better if I had; I'd still be zoning everybody out. Wu Fei wouldn't let it go then. And I'm surprised Quatre didn't hound me further, or at least follow after me. I should have asked what was bothering him so much…._

'_Arg, this is getting me no where! Just calm the hell down and things will be fine.'_ Releasing a heavy breath, he calmly uncrossed his arms and reached for the glass sitting beside his plate. _'And I'll get the notebook in a few hours. …Once they let me out of their sight again. Oh Light,'_ he dropped his head back against the chair after only a single sip. _'We're going to be here all day going into the details they'll want._

'_Screw it,'_ he decided, setting the glass back down onto the table with a thud as he stood, chair scrapping as it was pushed back. _'After breakfast is just as good. It'll give them time to wake up,'_ he reasoned, dropping his napkin onto the table. _'And give me time to get my fucking head straight.'_

Not even looking up as he walked pass Quatre and Trowa, unaware of them both and the separately curious and concerned looks he received, Sil continued through the sitting room and to the stairs. _'Damn it, I thought I'd gotten all of this worked out in the shower this morning.'_

Groaning, he continued up the flight of stairs to the third floor, hand holding the railing for something to do. _'Running and hiding.'_ He snorted, _'You know damn well you won't go back down until they come and find you.'_

oOo

"That was odd," Quatre commented, turning his curious gaze to Trowa after Sil was out of sight.

"Indeed," Trowa agreed with a nod, his own eyes still watching where Sil had vanished from. A few moments later Heero and Wu Fei appeared, each looking freshly showered. "You two look in better spirits. Did you finally speak with Sil?"

"Mm," Wu Fei nodded, quite relaxed and even smiling faintly. "And quite the tale he has to share." Glancing at Heero beside him, he received a faint nod then motioned the group towards the dinning room. "Have you two eaten yet?"

"No," Trowa shook his head before Quatre could respond. "I believe Dorothy and Relena are still there."Heero's expression did something funny then, causing Quatre to stare at him curiously. "Everything alright Heero?" The blue-eyed pilot shook his head, but said nothing out loud.

_~Do you think…that Relena knew? All this time?~_ Heero asked quietly, his emotions indiscernible. Wu Fei was already thinking along the same lines, a derisively amused sound vibrating within his throat.

_~Most likely,~_ his voice sounded sour, yet beneath that bemused. _~Though I have to wonder how much of it she did on her own, and how much Sil encouraged. You realize she's probably the "Lena" he was talking to before he disappeared last time.~_

That gave Heero pause, though he didn't show it. They entered the dinning room to find Relena and Dorothy were indeed present, and both looking far too pleased with themselves. Heero took note of that, before realizing Sil wasn't there.

"You two look like a pair of cats that stole a whole carton of cream," Trowa observed.

Relena hummed softly, while Dorothy's smile grew ominously. "I take it at least one of you cornered Sil last night?" Dorothy mussed, ice-blue eyes glinting with sadistic glee as they watched Heero and Wu Fei. Her question caught Quatre's attention, causing him to wonder if that might have been what had been bothering Sil so much. Refusing to answer, Wu Fei arched a brow at the woman as if to ask what gave her that notion.

"I've simply never seen him so…inattentive," Dorothy continued simply, waving a manicured hand towards the body-guard's decimated meal and crooked chair.

"He _was_ rather distracted when he came down," Quatre agreed, turning to look at his two friends curiously. "_Did_ something happen?" Unnoticed by the two in question…by all three pilots except Trowa, the two girls shared a knowing smirk and silent giggles.

Wu Fei was frowning, his body angled towards the door they had just passed through. "Seems the 'run and hide' bit still holds true," he muttered, receiving nothing but obstinate silence from the familiar presence within his mind. _~Nerves, I'm sure,~_ he assured Heero, feeling his partner's frown.

"Wu Fei?" Quatre pressed, mirroring the other's frown. The emotions he was sensing from the two were confusing him. _'Frustration and irritation I expected, but exasperated affection? And so much concern from Heero…. _What _is going on here?'_

Jerking his head towards the door, Wu Fei led the group back the way they had just come. "He's likely up in his room. Putting this off isn't going to make it any simpler, so we should just corner him there."

Pursing his lips, Quatre looked over his shoulder towards Trowa, only to find his older lover was as confused as he was. "You know," he spoke softly, his words slow as they climbed the stairs. "I expected such a conversation…but in regards to Duo. Are you both so infatuated with Sil now that you've forgotten him? Do either of you even realize he's missing _again_?" His voice was steadily rising; the more he said, the more emotion he felt.

Pausing a few steps above Quatre and Trowa, Wu Fei shared a look with Heero before meeting the blonds' gaze. "I can assume from your tone, that you've already been to Duo's room."

"You don't sound surprised," Quatre pointed out, able to hold onto his frustration because of the growing amusement he could sense in the elder pilot. "Or concerned."

Wu Fei shook his head. "I-we," he motioned towards Heero, "spoke with Duo last night. That's why all four of us are going to see Sil."

Baby-blue eyes blinked at onyx, and the young blond slowly deflated. Sighing heavily, Quatre waved his hands at the two in front of him. _~I swear, Wu Fei's deriving some kind of enjoyment from this.~_

_~Mmm,~ _Trowa hummed, his own smirk clear. When Quatre glanced back to glare at him, he wore an expression of innocence. _~I know you're worried about Duo love, but I think you're going over-board. You didn't even give thought to how naturally Sil used a nick-name for you, when just yesterday you were both begging off formality with each other.~_

Climbing the stairs from the second to the third floor, Quatre frowned as he gave Trowa's words thought. Thinking back to the incident, he realized his older lover was in fact, correct. _'He was _completely_ informal, and very familiar. Just what is going on here?' _His frown deepened when he caught a feel for Trowa's unvoiced thoughts. _~You're not implying Duo and Sil are the same person, are you?~_

_~Why the instant disbelief? It wouldn't be his first undercover op.~ _Trowa questioned in return. Finally frowning faintly himself. _~…Quatre? You're hiding something.~_ It wasn't intended to sound like an accusation, but his surprise gave it a hint of an edge.

_~Duo promised to talk about it with us all today. It's what we were talking about yesterday, before you came for me. He promised…as long as I promised to not say anything until then.~_

_~Which is why you were so upset this morning,~_ Trowa reasoned, understanding better the emotions behind his young love's seemingly irrational behavior. _~But it also explains why Heero and Wu Fei are more intent on Sil. Wu Fei's already said as much.~_

_'I suppose…,'_ Quatre reluctantly consented, if only to himself. They were already on the third floor, and their two friends were waiting for them before Sil's door. "You're not going to knock?" he asked, surprised to see Heero's hand already on the just shook his head.

"He was suppose to meet us downstairs to eat before we started talking. He's already run off once."

"There aren't any windows in there," Wu Fei reminded, bemused. "He's not going anywhere this time." Quatre and Trowa shared a look, but neither said anything as Heero opened the door. Shrugging, they followed the two pilots in. Four pairs of eyes immediately locked onto Sil, who was sitting at his cluttered desk, half-hidden by the book-filled shelves.

Hunched over his desk, Sil was either too engrossed in whatever it was he was working on to notice the intrusion, or was simply ignoring them. Heero glanced at Wu Fei, who had an odd mix of a smirk and frown on his face, while Quatre stared at the both of them, a hand subconsciously rubbing at his chest. The dark-eyed youth moved past Heero to stand behind Sil, to read over his shoulder, seeing the older boy was writing in a well-worn leather bound notebook. "You and your music," he murmured, recognizing the pattern before he read the lyrics. He felt Sil start, and knew the surprise was genuine. Still, the other finished penning what he was working on before acknowledging everyone. So Wu Fei skimmed over the last few sections, his expression slowly falling.

**/I'm so lonely that night also a falling star**  
**I didn't say anything when I noticed it./**

**/Dreamer who's lost tomorrow, now alone in the sky**  
**I've closed my heart, seeing only myself in my dreams**  
**Someday at the time the dreamer meets you**  
**I'll recover my smile, I believe in that time for you./**

Wu Fei could tell these two were older, the ink was lighter, more settled. And yet… _'The last two lines look as if they've been changed recently. Oh Valinus….'_

**/Embraced in stars dreamer soon will awake**  
**The thing I lost I may be able to seize in this hand.**  
**Someday at the time the dreamer meets you**  
**I'll recover my smile, I believe in that time for you./**

Smiling sadly as he finished reading the Espherian words, Wu Fei laid a hand on Sil's shoulder. "You are far to easily read through your music." He won a twisted chuckle from the elder, who had yet to turn around.

Watching silently, Quatre was piecing together the events that were hinted at taking place the night before, while Trowa stood a step behind him, faint confusion in his green eyes. Like Wu Fei before him, he'd skimmed the books on the shelf, but was questioning his belief that Sil and Duo were one and the same. _'If he's Espherian, then he can't be Duo…. Right?'_ Shaking his head, Trowa urged Quatre further into the room so he could shut the door behind them, giving them the privacy they seemed to need. _/"You're Espherian."/_It wasn't a question.

Releasing a quiet breath, Sil touched the hand on his shoulder before pushing his chair back. He spun it around so he could face the group and motioned for them to take a seat. "Yes, I am Espherian," he answered, seeing the hint of confusion in Heero's and Quatre's eyes. _'They don't know how to open the gate, they don't speak the language…. I know why Wu Fei doesn't know how to…but how is it Trowa is so fluent in the language, but doesn't know either?'_Sil blinked and was drawn from his thoughts when he realized he was being pulled from his chair and redirected to the head of the bed, where he was prodded and maneuvered to sit beside Heero. Wu Fei took the spot on his other side, both twisted so they could see him, leaving the foot of the bed for Trowa and Quatre, to create an odd, five-point circle.

"This isn't an interrogation," Heero pointed out almost drolly, surprising Sil. Wu Fei nodded while Quatre claimed his seat, tugging Trowa's hand behind him. "Though if you run away again, we _will_ do something…drastic."

Quatre chuckled, while Trowa rolled his eyes and crossed his long legs. "Alright, so what _is_going on?" the emerald eyed youth finally asked.

Quatre popped in with his own two cents before anyone could answer. "Yes, what _is_going on Duo?" Beside him, Trowa made an aggravated sound, while Heero and Wu Fei looked vaguely amused. Sil just grinned and laughed.

"How'd you figure it out?" Wu Fei couldn't help but ask. "Just minutes ago you were dead certain they weren't the same person."

Calming down, Sil shot a smirk at his dark-eyed companion. "Because he saw me cast that protection spell in the streets yesterday. He rounded the corner before any of you, and I was too slow to cover myself properly."

"Which is also why I sensed you," Wu Fei added quietly, thinking back to the alley. The prelude to their fist fight made so more sense to him. Opening his mouth to apologize, he felt Sil squeeze his knee; looking up, he saw the elder was shaking his head, understanding lighting his violet-green eyes.

"I think it best to start back at the beginning, for those of us lagging behind," Trowa spoke up before anymore byplay could be caused, faint annoyance lacing his tone.

Meeting the pilot's gaze with open, clear eyes, Sil inclined his head, dark hair falling over his shoulder. "You are correct, of course. Wu Fei, Heero, and I were up late discussing these things, forgive me. I stopped where Duo is concerned, so we could all talk together," he glanced at Quatre. "As I promised."

The blond blushed faintly, but didn't look away. "So just who _are_you? We were dead-certain Duo was human during the war."

Drawing in a deep breath, Sil held it for a moment before releasing it. "That's because he _is_human. The orphan child Dr. G trained for Operation Meteor was-is human. But a year before the launch date, something happened. No report was made, not even to the other doctors; that was one of my requirements, if G wanted my help. …I think a little history may be necessary before this," he relented, listening to his own words as if he were not the story-teller, and understanding how confusing it was starting to sound.

Opening his mouth, he paused for a moment as he thought on something, then looked towards Trowa. "A question first. Your fluency in the Espherian tongue…have you ever _been_to Espheria?"

Canting his head to the side, Trowa nodded after a moment. "I was born there," he answered. "My pack was moving, and I was separated from them in one of the darker forests. I fell through a small gate to Gaia."

Sil nodded, understanding. "The darker forests are filled with trickster spirits," he agreed. "You must have been young, to have not learned how to open the gates to return." He could read a lingering touch of uncertainty in Trowa, and couldn't blame the youth for it. He himself was still an unknown to the two before him, despite Quatre's apparent unquestioning acceptance.

"Forgive my questions, please. I don't want to make assumptions to anyone's knowledge." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Many Espherian's may live dual lives, possess dual forms. Their Mystic form, and a Human guise." Trowa and Quatre both nodded, drawing a faint smile from Sil, who shot a glance at Wu Fei. "Seems Trowa's more considerate of his counterpart then Fei is." Wu Fei just huffed while an amused sound escaped Heero, who ducked his cobalt gaze when he realized the others were looking at him in surprise.

Laughing once more, Sil nudged the younger boy before claiming his hand to squeeze it reassuringly. "If it weren't obvious, I do live that dual life. Sil has been my human persona since I learned to shift. My Mystic, as I was born, is Valinus. Valinus Jadsilion…." Sil trailed off, seeing Trowa pale, reading more in the boy's eyes then he usually could. Quatre twisted and laid a hand on his lover's arm, sensing…something. "Crap," Sil muttered.

Instead of answering Quatre's mental questions, Trowa looked towards Wu Fei. "He's serious?"

Squeezing the hand he'd claimed, Wu Fei nodded, his expression steady though his eyes were a touch sheepish. "I knew Valinus in Espheria, years before I left for L5."

Curiosity lit twin sets of blue eyes, as Heero and Quatre looked around the group. "Seems we're the ones out of the loop this time," Quatre mussed, catching Heero's gaze. He grunted in agreement. _'Explains your reaction to his magic though,'_ Quatre thought. "How do _you_know him Trowa?"

The brunette shook his head, emerald eyes still resting on Sil's…blushing form. "I don't. But the name I do. It's a…rather well-known one, in Espheria. …Much as Winner is here," Trowa added as an afterthought. His eyes skimmed down to rest on the orb and claw that rested against Sil's throat. "That I know you cannot fake."

Wu Fei glanced at the trinket and nodded. "Alright, you've semi-established who you are. _Why_take such a risk in Duo, in fighting a human war? In choosing sides?" It was Heero's turn to make a questioning sound.

"We are all Mystics," Heero pointed out. "Why would only his choice matter?"

Two sighs, but Wu Fei answered. "Espheria was created for the Mystics' protection. Those that choose to live among the humans do so not only at their own risk, but at the risk of Espheria herself, should they be from there as Trowa and I are…as Sil is. Mystics…Espherians are forbidden from interfering in Human affairs on such grand scales. In becoming demi-gods to them, as once happened when the Mystics tried to reintegrate the two races on Gaia. For an Espherian to become so involved in such a large-scale war as this one was, is…beyond forbidden. You and Quatre were born here, you had right to fight, to protect your home. I was sent to protect L5, the humans descended from those that once protected my clan millennia ago. Through uncontrolled events, Gaia became Trowa's home. Mystics are not expected to watch the humans war amongst themselves, when their own home, their family are at risk. We still have to be discreet, as we were, to protect our Espherian counter-parts. Understand?"

His three listeners nodded as one. While he had explained, Quatre had shifted to lay against Trowa's shoulder, enjoying the contact and relaxed air that was settling around the group. Sil stepped in to continue. "It had been…." he trailed off, rethinking his phrasing. "As Wu Fei said, we knew each other in Espheria. When he left for L5, he promised to keep in touch once the humans taught him and his partner the secrets to opening the gates. Obviously, they never taught him. And in Espheria, we…the clan, myself and my sisters…." Quatre's lips twitched, curious then because of Trowa's comparison between Winner and Jadsilion; he couldn't help but wonder how many sisters Sil had to deal with. "…We felt the death of Wu Fei's partner. And still years passed with no contact, no word. Tradition denied the dragon clan the ability to check on L5, on Wu Fei themselves. But no such laws bound me, despite my resolve to honor them for Wu Fei's sake. So I traveled to Gaia, and took a ship to L5." He could feel Wu Fei's eyes on him, could feel his soul-bonds' disbelief and denial.

"They never told me," he whispered, as if to deny what Sil had yet to say.

Even so, Sil nodded once, slowly. "I realize that now," he assured, voice soft. Looking over to Wu Fei, he released the younger's hand and instead wrapped an arm around him, to hold him. He brushed his senses over Heero's emotions, doubting the other would be comfortable with the same, but unwilling to exclude him. He was correct in his thoughts, and threaded their fingers instead. Whether it was because they weren't alone, the subject matter they were discussing, or because they were still learning each other…. _'Doesn't matter. This is enough. And after last night, I know he's not the type to shy away.'_

"But when I arrived and met with the clan elder to ask after you, I was given the round about for hours while they 'looked for you.' I was informed that you wanted nothing to do with your guest, and was asked to not return, before being escorted back to the Port. Chance or Fate, the next ship out was to L2. I wondered around there for days, debating with myself whether I should return to L5 for another try, and how I would do so." Wu Fei shifted against him, understanding the many implications of that. "Before I could make a decision though, a Fairy found me. Or rather, I felt her cry for help. L2 is not a safe place, even for a Fairy that can hide herself from human sight. I found her with a human boy in an alley," the "of course" was left unsaid.

"A gang, and the smell of blood. When I looked harder, I could see a group of smaller children in the shadows, behind the boy and the Night Fairy. I intervened, much to the young boy's distrust." Pausing, he stretched his legs out before curling them once more. "To shorten the story, the boy was Duo, Dr. G's pilot. A year before the Operation's slated start, he was about twelve or thirteen to my eyes. Duo had been getting information from the kids, when the gang happened upon them.

"A faction from the Alliance had discovered G's lab and were preparing a raid. I joined them, at Fay-Lin's, the fairy's request. My curiosity at her companionship with the boy was a welcomed distraction at the time."

_ooOooOoo  
_

_The raid had already started by the time they arrived. Duo and Fay-Lin had been delayed by the gang; Duo refused to leave the children alone in their presence, even knowing the danger the Doc was in, the gundam and the operation. The two dove right into the midst of it, while Sil hesitated for a moment. The forces were smaller then what Duo had described. _'Were the children mistaken?'_ he wondered, though he didn't think so. _'Or prone to exaggeration?'

_The stench of blood announced them. "More from behind!" Sil bellowed, pulling his staff from behind; his dark hair long enough to cover whether it had actually been there or not. He joined the fray and met the new comers head-on. "They're coming from below!"_

"_The Suit!" someone shouted. Minutes seemed like hours, and they were stone-walled. The faction soldiers weren't budging, so no one could get down to the suit. Nobody spoke it, but the humans quickly realized why. Explosives, no doubt enough to destroy the suit and their quarter of the colony._

_Sil never noticed the kid slip through, pass both sides. If he hadn't felt Fay-Lin's presence pass him, unseen by the humans, he never would have realized where the kid had gone. Sil was doing minimal damage to the faction, maintaining his human guise despite the fight. Fay-Lin paused in her pursuit of Duo long enough to explain to the disguised Mystic what they suspected, and what those explosions would do to the colony's uninvolved inhabitants. With the threat to innocence, Sil ceased holding back. Time seemed to freeze seconds before the dimly lit lab was engulfed in brilliant blue flames. And where before Sil had been subduing the enemy with a restrained hand, he now cut through them like a demon from hell._

_The colony shook like a quake on Earth, though notably centralized. He quickly realized his containment spell hadn't been necessary; the blast had been less then a fraction of what Fay-Lin had described, and centralized directly beneath his feet. _'Fay-Lin…the _kid_!'

_The faction, what little remained, attempted to retreat then. Sil made short work of them, cutting their ranks down as he made haste to the lab's lower chambers, leaving only the fallen but breathing for G's remaining guards. "Fay-Lin!" Sil shouted. Her magic permeated the lower floor, her fear as thick as the smoke, chocking him with equal efficiency. "Fay-Lin!" he bellowed once more, having no eyes for the human mechanisms surrounding him. The scent of blood was rising above that of the smoke._

"_Here!" Fay-Lin's panicked voice called from the wall to his left. "Please-! I can't stop the bleeding!" Her voice was pained to Sil's ears, but not enough to warrant her panic. _'The child then. Did he limit the explosion?'

_He found the two the instant he rounded the corner. The dark-green glow surrounding the two was unmistakable; Fay-Lin was attempting to heal the child. "Please Lord Valinus! Help him."_

_Sil was already on his knees beside the two, easing the child from Fay-Lin's arms while water fell around them, drenching the human machines and fires. Green-violet eyes took in the damage to the child's back. He pressed two fingers beneath the worse of the damage, his own violet colored energy mixing with Fay-Lin's. "Tell me, young one," Sil spoke. "What is he to you, that you'll risk so much?"_

_With a distressed sound, the Night Fairy increased her focus while the air around her tensed. "I know," she spoke quietly, her voice breaking. "I know how odd this must be. But he is my clan. Please…."_

_Releasing a quiet breath, the air around the two heated and shimmered. Power faded and the magic wrapping itself around Duo increased. Fay-Lin looked up in protest as she was pushed back, but her voice was lost. She had sensed the elder's identity, but actually _seeing_ the mystic was something altogether more. "I am not skilled enough for him, but he cannot be moved either; you'll have to retrieve my sister. Give me your hand."_

_She felt a point of warmth in her palm where his two fingers touched. It quickly grew into a burning sensation that bordered on painful, then faded into a warm pulse. Whimpering quietly, she looked up to the one responsible and realized he had opened a small portal for her. "Fly quickly young one, and return as swiftly."_

_ooOooOoo  
_

Sil fell silent as he relived that particular struggle. His skills in healing were truly limited; he had been so focused on keeping Duo from bleeding out, that he'd never noticed G joining him. Beside him, Wu Fei shifted with a faint frown. "An Unselie claimed a human child as one of her clan?"

Making a curious sound, Sil looked up and nodded after a moment. "Unheard of, I know. The Unselie Court, among other things, still holds a grudge against the humans for the massacre that led to Espheria's creation." Looking between the four, Sil dropped his gaze with a heavy sigh. "The child's spine was exposed. It was all I could do to keep him from bleeding out." He hadn't noticed the arms around him until then; Wu Fei and Heero both squeezed him, anchoring him. A kick at his shin drew his leg out and he quickly found his ankle trapped beneath Quatre's. They had all seen similar results; they had all caused them as well. The fact that it was Duo, the one they knew or not, struck too close to home for them all.

Sil drew in a deep breath before he continued, grateful for the connection. For the continued trust. "It took Fay-Lin an hour to find Son-Ja and return. I…our spirits were touching, to keep him anchored. By his own will." Sil was shaking his head in disbelief, a notable touch of awe and respect in his tone and within his eyes. "Such strength and determination in one so young…. He refused to just lay there and die."

Sil found Trowa's legs tangled with Quatre's and his own; he couldn't recall when it had happened, but the security of being accepted back by the four…words escaped him. He twisted his legs to tangle their feet further and offered a grateful if wan smile. Then stilled himself to continue. "Forgive me if I skimp on the details. The spinal and nerve damage were…too severe, too absolute for even Son-Ja. He was paralyzed from the hips down."

Sil snorted a disbelieving laugh. "We were locked in a healing trance for two days. At some point he realized the damage…." Another laugh; Sil shook his head and continued. "Our spirits were still connected. I was…astounded to realize his acceptance spurred him to design modifications to Deathscyth that would allow him full and complete operation. All before the second day of the trance." Three sharp breaths, and Heero's stunned-silent emotions filled his mind.

"Amazing," Trowa broke the silence. Sil nodded once, a sardonic twist to his lips.

"At the time, I thought it wishful thinking, despite his certainty of his calculations. Having learned mechanics from him…he was dead-on with them." Leaning back into the arms around him and the headboard and pillows behind him, Sil tried to relax in their circle. "Dr. G…was an intelligent man. He sealed off the area, kept the rest of the humans away. Fay-Lin, between bouts of hovering over us, aided him in the clean-up. And after two days, we needed rest, and Duo was out of danger. He could move his upper-body without the danger of re-injuring himself.

"So while we rested, he and G brainstormed his ideas and intentions. Son-Ja was less then pleased when she heard them. With continued therapy and sessions, the damage could be undone. But Duo's plan would destroy any chance he had at a complete recovery."

"So…you offered to take his place?" Quatre asked, baby blue eyes glowing faintly. It all sounded like some great ballad for telling under the stars. Even without a string instrument, Sil had a story-teller's voice; he weaved you into his world without ever trying. Even Trowa was on the verge of being lost.

"Aa," Sil inclined his head. "I'm still not entirely certain how that happened," he admitted, a touch sheepish.

"Your spirits touched," Wu Fei spoke up, his tone thoughtful. "Were _touching_ for more then a day…. Combined with the healing trance…." Blinking obsidian eyes wider then Sil or even Heero could recall ever seeing them, Wu Fei stared at Sil in astonishment. "It's no wonder you took his place. His spirit, his drive, his _life_ was your own. _Please_ tell me you maintained your own shields?"

Blinking once, Sil blushed faintly at the simplicity of the explanation, and smiled sheepishly before the others could interpret his reaction wrong. "Yes, of course I did. I've never aided in a healing when the recipient didn't know how to shield their own mind or spirit. That…never occurred to me."

"So, his reasons for joining the Operation became yours?" Trowa's quiet voice drew the group's attention. His green eyes were narrowed in thought as he worked at the puzzle. "It was more then a decision?"

Sil nodded once. "As Wu Fei said, Duo's drive became my own, _was_ mine. The need for spilt blood in vengeance to let his dead rest in peace was…overwhelming, before my mind settled. It was a constant weight afterwards. …To this day I don't know if that was how he felt about his reasons, or if it was simply my own interpretation. A good deal of his dead were of the church; I doubt they truly needed or appreciated the effort. But also…to prevent more ghosts, to prevent more children from being put into his position…."

Quatre broke the somber atmosphere with a small smile. "I'm sure your sister was put-out by the thought that he wouldn't let himself heal."

Catching Quatre's eye, Sil laughed out-right at the notion. Beside him, Wu Fei couldn't help but laugh softly as well. Shaking his head, Sil couldn't catch his breath to respond, much to Wu Fei's exasperation. The dark-eyed dragon rolled his eyes before looking towards the two sitting across from him. "I imagine she would have drugged him and spirited him back to Espheria, consenting or not. Fairies are not to be trifled with, especially when their aid is requested."

Quatre chuckled, but gave the two a confused look. "But, you're not-"

"No," Sil interrupted, having just gotten his amusement under control. _'I'll go right back into fits if I hear him say that.'_ Lips twitching, Sil shook his head. "No, we grew up together. Siblings in all but blood."

_~She's the one you were talking about last night?~_ Heero asked, his thoughts quiet. He felt Sil's nod and the sense of Wu Fei's affirmation. Storing that bit of information away, Heero shifted and gave Sil a curious look. "So…what _are_ you?"

TBC

* * *

**A/N:** This story has _not_ been discontinued or forgotten, nor will it remain unfinished. I believe a final chapter is all that remains. I have, however, started a _massive_ back story, explaining the creation of Espheria and the massacre implied in this chapter. In light of this, I must once more re-iterate that the original contents, theories, characters and ideas contained here, are my own. The Gundam boys and girls, and their world and war, are all borrowed.

Also, having gone back and re-read _Hidden Secrets_ in its entirety, I must say I am ashamed of how the first few chapters read. After completion, I may go back and smooth some things out. In the mean-time, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter.


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